Leftists raise voice against bringing up of PCOCA
Monday, 06/11/2017
https://dailypost.in/news/punjab/leftists-raise-voice-bringing-pcoca/
NAWANSHAHR: Even as CM Capt Amrinder Singh reiterated in Patiala on Saturday that the state was all set to bring in Punjab Control of Organised Crime Act (PCOCA) this month as it would come in handy to deal with organised crime in the state, Leftists have started raising their voice against bringing in any such legislation on the plea that it would be ultimately used to curb expression of free voice and writing in the Punjab, by the powers that be. Punjab convener of Democratic Lawyers Association Daljit Singh and state leader of Jamhoori Adhikar Sabha, Punjab Jasbeer Deep in a press statement here on Sunday strongly condemned the Capt.government move to bring in PCOCA on MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) pattern.
Terming it as the first step to usher in an era of draconian laws aimed at curbing all kinds of freedom enshrined in the Constitution, the leaders expressed the apprehension that human rights would be affected severely as such laws in the past were used to disintegrate lawfully constituted organisations. In this context, the leftists’ leaders cited example of misuse of Punjab Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act, 2014 which was actually framed to take action against persons found guilty of damaging public and private property.”
Implementation of PCOCA which was also termed by state DGP Suresh Arora here last evening as ‘the need of hour in view of rising graph of organised crime in the state and low conviction rate in such cases, will not achieve any results as all gangsters enjoy political patronage. Without such patronage, they cannot survive even for a day for the mighty state forces,” said the leaders who urged upon all progressive forces to come forward to protest against bringing in of any such law in Punjab.
