Public Security Bill Maharashtra
Urban Naxal Bogey: Move for Harsher Bill to Curb Civil Rights? https://thewire.in/politics/urban-naxal-bogey-move-for-harsher-bill-to-curb-civil-rights P. Raman The Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, iis seen as an attempt to test waters....many of its provisions can be misused against activists, protesters and opponents. ..
For the BJP, “urban Naxal” means almost everything anti-BJP. The term “anti-national” has a limited reach and application but “urban Naxal” can be used to target political parties, intellectuals, atheists, those who criticise patriarchy, feminist groups, trade unions, slum groups, lawyers, farmers’ movements, journalists and those NGOs that are championing the causes of the oppressed classes. It can cover anyone critical of the establishment.
The left-wing extremist groups have over the years felt the need to establish units of intellectuals, students and youth. In the late 1960s and the 1970s, when the Naxalite movement began taking root in the rural interiors, it also influenced sections of the urban youth. There was violence in Kolkata and in several universities. A parallel media popular among sections of youths and intellectuals emerged in English and the regional languages. Youth musical squads spiritedly sang songs like ‘Amar baadi, tomaar baadi, Maor baadi Naxal baadi (My house, your house, Mao’s house, Naxalbari)’.
Maharashtra’s Public Security Bill diluted but critics not convinced https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/maharashtras-public-security-bill-diluted-but-critics-not-convinced-101749754939935.html By Surendra P Gangan Jun 13, 2025 a few of its provisions was taken by a joint select committee after more than 12,300 objections were raised by civil society groups and social organisations to the draft legislation..
The 26-member committee, comprising legislators from across political parties, has amended the objective of the bill, to ensure that individuals cannot be prosecuted under the proposed act; only organisations can be booked under its provisions.
The second change in the objective is in the nature of the activity that can fall under the purview of the proposed legislation – the panel has amended its definition from “unlawful activities” to “unlawful leftist or hardline activities”. Ulka Mahajan, state convenor of the Bharat Jodo Andolan, said they will continue to oppose the bill. “We suspect the bill intends to suppress the voice of the people opposing the government. If they say it will act against leftist and hardline organisations, it means it will be used against opposition parties. Who is to stop the government from linking the Bharat Jodo with frontal organisations of Naxals? And what about their own right-wing organisations?
Supriya Sule slams Bill against urban Naxalism in Maharashtra https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra/supriya-sule-slams-bill-against-urban-naxalism-in-maharashtra/article69334253.ece March 15, 2025 NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule said that the Special Public Security Bill, tabled in the Assembly on July 11, 2024, undermines the very concept of “We, the People of India”
the definition of “illegal acts” seems to grant unlimited powers to government agencies. “This effectively gives the government a license to establish a Police Raj, which could be misused against individuals, institutions, or organizations that express constructive opposition in a democratic manner. This bill undermines the very concept of “We, the People of India