BJP pledges support for the 'reluctant' creation of NIA

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday pledged its support to the 'reluctant' move of the government to create a National Investigation Agency.

"Being a nationalist party, we will support even a reluctant and incomplete step like this, as long as it is a step against terrorism," said party leader Arun Jaitley.

He said that some of the NIA's provisions fell short of the party's expectations and that it was a 'reluctant step' on the part of the government.

"The government's step towards NIA is also a reluctant admission by the United Progressive Alliance of the long standing campaign of the BJP to have a tough stand against terror elements," Jaitley said.

"We will examine the bill in detail and offer our comments later. We have always felt that special investigative machinery must have strong teeth," he said.

Jaitley said that while terrorist offences have been redefined in the bill and the bail provisions made tough to some extent, some other expectations of the party like the admissibility of confessions have not been addressed.

It seems that the efforts of the Home Ministry have not succeeded in the cabinet, Jaitley said.

"We will support the bill and at the same time certainly voice our concern for the left out provisions and lacunae and fight for their inclusion," he said.

Gearing up to fight terrorism in a more effective manner, the Centre today introduced a Bill to set up a National Investigation Agency and legislation to strengthen the existing laws against terror.