Lok Sabha sees face-off between Owaisi, Shah in NIA bill debate

New Delhi: Though sharp exchanges between All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaddudin Owaisi and BJP leaders are not unusual, the Hyderabad MP had a face-off with Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha on Monday during a discussion on the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill.

The spat between the two leaders began when opposition members including Owaisi started interrupting BJP MP Satyapal Singh. Owaisi objected to the claim by Singh that a state leader had asked the then Hyderabad Police Commissioner to change the course of probe in a particular case. Singh said he knew it because he was then posted as Police Commissioner of Mumbai.

Owaisi strongly objected to this and demanded for all records related to the case to be placed before the House. On this, Amit Shah stood up at his seat and said that the treasury bench had not disturbed members of the opposition party when they spoke and hence they should also be not disturbed. Shah pointed at Owaisi and said that members of the opposition should have patience to listen others.

This seemed to have provoked Owaisi as he asked the Home Minister not to point fingers at him as he cannot be frightened. But Shah hit back saying he was not trying to frighten him and rather just stating that Opposition leaders should have patience to listen to the counter-view.

"When you have fear in mind what can I do," said Shah.

The Lok Sabha later passed the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019 that allows NIA to probe terror cases targeting Indians and Indian assets abroad. Responding to concern over possible misuse of the terror law, Shah assured the House that the bill was aimed only at eliminating terrorism.

The Minister added that the anti-terror law will not see the religion of people involved in terror activities and the changes in the law will effectively handle terror cases.