Maharashtra government tables bill on ‘Urban Naxals’

MUMBAI: The MahaYuti government on Thursday tabled in the assembly the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, which aims to arrest the “proliferation of Urban Naxalism”.

According to the bill, the menace of Naxalism is increasing in urban areas through their frontal outfits. “These outfits give logical support and refuge to the armed cadre. Seized literature of the Naxals shows safe houses and urban den of their network in cities in Maharashtra. They are creating unrest and propagating their ideology of armed rebellion against the constitutional mandate,” the bill states.

Naxal-hit states of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have already enacted the public security Act and banned 48 such outfits. Maharashtra has decided to do likewise for effective prevention of unlawful activities of such frontal outfits, the bill said.

The legislative initiative comes three months before the assembly election in October. It defines an unlawful organisation as one that indulges in or abets or assists or gives aid or encourages directly or indirectly through any medium, devices or otherwise, any unlawful activity.

“If a member of an unlawful organisation takes part in meetings or activities of any such organisation or contributes or receives or solicits any contribution, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine up to `3 lakh,” reads the bill. The state government will constitute the advisory board that will determine which outfits can be designated as “urban Naxal”.

The proposed law allows the police to enter the premises of anyone to check for literature that can be used for unlawful activities. They can seize the literature and properties if they find they are used for propogating “urban Naxalism”.