Shah, Owaisi spar over NIA amendment bill

New Delhi : Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed a spat between Home Minister Amit Shah and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, with the BJP chief asserting that he is not frightening anyone but cannot help when someone has fear in their minds.

The verbal duel between the two leaders started during a discussion on the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, when opposition members including Owaisi started interrupting BJP's Satyapal Singh.

Singh alleged that the then Hyderabad Police commissioner was asked by a political leader of the state to change the course of investigation in a particular case else he could be transferred out.

He said he is aware of the development as at that time he was Mumbai police commissioner. Objecting to his claim, Owaisi, demanded that Singh should place on table of the House all records related to his claim.

On this, Shah got up from his seat and said treasury members did not disturb opposition members during their speeches so they should also do the same. Pointing out at Owaisi, Shah said opposition members should have the patience to listen to others point of view.

Owaisi got agitated and asked Shah to not point a finger at him and said he cannot be frightened. In response, Shah said he is not trying to frighten him and just saying that opposition members should have patience to listen to the counter view.

"When you have fear in your mind then what can I do," he hit back. Later, the Lok Sabha passed the Bill that will also allow the probe agency to probe terror cases targeting Indians and Indian assets abroad.

A total of 278 members favoured for passage of the bill while six opposed it.

'Repealing POTA was a mistake'

"Many members have said that POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) had to be repealed because it was misused. TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act) had to be repealed because they were misused.

I want to make the record clear that POTA was not repealed because it was misused. POTA was repealed for the reason of vote bank politics," Shah said in his reply.

Participating in the discussion, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari had earlier in the day accused the government of trying to turn India into a police state.

Participating in the discussion, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari had earlier in the day accused the government of trying to turn India into a police state.