Editor's Pick: UAPA fights against both gun and pen, says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Central laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) had given an impetus to the system in a decisive fight against terrorism. The Prime Minister said the police should be equipped to face not only those Naxals who hold a gun but also those who wield a pen and mislead the youth by exploiting their emotions. Such forces who get “international support” should not be allowed to take root as they were detrimental to the unity and integrity of the country, he said. Mr. Modi’s statement on the anti-terror legislation UAPA comes at a time when the Supreme Court is examining a petition that has challenged the validity of the law. The Opposition on several occasions has accused the government of misusing the UAPA against political opponents. The law is stringent, as this explainer points out. On Friday, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted that in 2018-20, as many as 4,690 people were arrested under the UAPA but only 3% were convicted. “PM is right, UAPA gives his govt power to jail anyone without accountability. UAPA is an evil law, it does nothing to stop terrorism,” Mr. Owaisi said. In an editorial after two student activists were freed by the Delhi High Court after over a year in jail under UAPA for their role in the Delhi riots of 2020, The Hindu said, “The court’s observation that the state, in its anxiety to suppress dissent, has blurred the line between the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and ‘terrorist’ activity is a stern indictment of the establishment.” In his address to the two-day State Home Ministers’ meet at Faridabad in virtual mode, Mr. Modi also said one should not be limited to social media as the only source of information. He said a single piece of fake news had the capability to snowball into a matter of national concern. He expressed concern over the losses that India had to face due to fake news about job reservations in the past. He stressed the need to educate people about analysing and verifying information before forwarding it to people. “We have to come up with technological advancement to face a fake news-driven society,” he added. He said India’s progress at global stage had also posed many challenges. “First, attempts will be made to belittle your achievements, then the rivals will come in a competition mode.... many world powers will not want that India occupies the market. They think they have the expertise and certain markets are their fiefdom, when you challenge the arrangement, enmity creeps in. It is human nature, so we must be equipped to face such challenges,” the Prime Minister said. He said law and order was not limited to any particular State and crime was now inter-State and even international. The Hindu’s Editorials Explosive affair: On the Coimbatore car blast Careless threats: On the Ukraine war and the dirty bomb talk The Hindu’s Daily Quiz According to the National Family Health Survey data, what is the proportion of men in India who drink alcohol? 22% 30% 33% 46% To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 29 OCTOBER 2022 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( UAPA fights against both gun and pen, says PM Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Central laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [(UAPA) had given an impetus to the system]( in a decisive fight against terrorism. The Prime Minister said the police should be equipped to face not only those Naxals who hold a gun but also those who wield a pen and mislead the youth by exploiting their emotions. Such forces who get “international support” should not be allowed to take root as they were detrimental to the unity and integrity of the country, he said. Mr. Modi’s statement on the anti-terror legislation UAPA comes at a time when the Supreme Court is examining a [petition that has challenged the validity of the law](. The Opposition on several occasions has accused the government of misusing the UAPA against political opponents. The law is stringent, as [this explainer]( points out . On Friday, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted that in 2018-20, as many as 4,690 people were arrested under the UAPA but only 3% were convicted. “PM is right, UAPA gives his govt power to jail anyone without accountability. UAPA is an evil law, it does nothing to stop terrorism,” Mr. Owaisi said. In [an editorial]( after two student activists were freed by the Delhi High Court after over a year in jail under UAPA for their role in the Delhi riots of 2020, The Hindu said, “The court’s observation that the state, in its anxiety to suppress dissent, has blurred the line between the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and ‘terrorist’ activity is a stern indictment of the establishment.” In his address to the two-day State Home Ministers’ meet at Faridabad in virtual mode, Mr. Modi also said one should not be limited to social media as the only source of information. He said a single piece of fake news had the capability to snowball into a matter of national concern. He expressed concern over the losses that India had to face due to fake news about job reservations in the past. He stressed the need to educate people about analysing and verifying information before forwarding it to people. “We have to come up with technological advancement to face a fake news-driven society,” he added. He said India’s progress at global stage had also posed many challenges. “First, attempts will be made to belittle your achievements, then the rivals will come in a competition mode.... many world powers will not want that India occupies the market. They think they have the expertise and certain markets are their fiefdom, when you challenge the arrangement, enmity creeps in. It is human nature, so we must be equipped to face such challenges,” the Prime Minister said. He said law and order was not limited to any particular State and crime was now inter-State and even international. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Explosive affair: On the Coimbatore car blast]( [Arrow][Careless threats: On the Ukraine war and the dirty bomb talk]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz According to the National Family Health Survey data, what is the proportion of men in India who drink alcohol? - 22% - 30% - 33% - 46% To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( Today’s Best Reads [[Zombie worlds: Five spooky planets orbiting dead stars] Zombie worlds: Five spooky planets orbiting dead stars]( [[Internet and social media platforms now toolkits of terror groups: EAM Jaishankar] Internet and social media platforms now toolkits of terror groups: EAM Jaishankar]( [[ISRO carries out key test of its heaviest rocket's engine] ISRO carries out key test of its heaviest rocket's engine]( [[Interim injunction against ‘Kantara’ song] Interim injunction against ‘Kantara’ song]( Copyright @ 2022, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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