Asia ReView

BY MUKESH RANJAN

NEW DELHI

Dec. 2: Despite the hyperbolic call for a new tougher anti-terror law by the Opposition, the government is learnt to have been considering giving more teeth to the existing National Security Act 1980 in its effort to combat terrorism.

The Cabinet Committee on security, which met on Tuesday, considered a range of proposals to tighten security arrangements in the country in the backdrop of recent Mumbai terror attacks, even as key UPA constituent RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav asked for a complete overhaul of the intelligence setup.

The measures considered at the meeting included amendments in the NSA to make it full proof, setting up of a federal investigative agency, improving coastline surveillance and revamping country’s internal and external intelligence services, sources in the government said. A proposal of forming a six-member National Security Authority was also considered. The authority will have power to administer and supervise investigations relating to terror attacks, which generally have inter-state ramifications and cross-border links.

The CCS also discussed the draft proposal for setting up a federal investigating agency before sending it to the Union Cabinet for approval, sources added.

The meeting of the CCS, which took place at Prime Minister Manmohan Sin-gh’s residence, was attended by newly appointed home minister P. Chidambram, defence minister A.K. Antony, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and home secretary Madhukar Gupta. Incidentally, this was the first meeting, which Mr Chidambram attended as home minister.