New Police Act Unacceptable to the Opposition
Patna: Mar. 28, 2007
 Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Wednesday, unveiled the new Police Act amidst massive protest by the opposition leaders, saying the new Act was designed at the behest of the Central Minister and the Supreme Court and was meant to get a grip on the incorrigible law and order of the state.
Among the salient features of the Police Act, the Superintendent of Police (SP) will now have Rs. 1 crore at his disposal to deal with crime and other law enforcement issues, emphasis on reducing crime against Scheduled Caste and backward community, and more autonomy in dealing with routine works, Kumar said.
 Under the new scheme, a model police station equipped with sophisticated tools will be developed in each district, the Chief Minister said.
The opposition leaders immediately staged a walkout calling the new Act an attempt to impose dictatorship and police rule in the state. Tearing up the copies of the new Act, opposition leaders led by their chief Rabri Devi chanted anti-government slogans with placards in their hands demanding annulment of the Police Act.
Communist Party of India (ML) leaders threatened to launch a massive statewide protest against the Police Act calling it 'draconian designed with the sole purpose of suppressing the voice of the opposition.
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