Now, UPA to push communal violence bill
22 Oct 2013 6:43 AM IST
To further its appeal to the minority communities, the UPA government would make a fresh move to push the controversial bill for prevention of communal violence during the winter session of Parliament. An indication to this effect was given on Monday by home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and the minister for minority affairs K Rahman Khan.
The passage of the bill has been pending for some time now in face of stiff opposition from the BJP. Shinde on Monday said work has begun on moving ahead with the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill that aims to protect minorities from targeted attacks. The move comes in wake of the recent communal riots in Muzaffarnagar, UP.
‘I have sought details of the bill from the concerned department,’ he told reporters in the capital. Asked whether the bill will be tabled in the next session of Parliament, expected to begin November-end, Shinde said he was not sure. Rahman Khan, while noting that UP riots had underlined inadequacies in existing laws to deal with such clashes, pitched for introduction of the Bill in the winter session.
The communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas last month claimed 62 lives and displaced over 40,000 people. Khan dismissed BJP’s claim that the UPA government is pushing for the Bill with an eye on elections, saying it has been under consultation for a long time and the government’s job is to function ‘till the last day.’
BJP has dubbed the Bill as ‘anti-majority’ while some regional parties feel it violated federal principles. The Bill has also been opposed by some states as it seeks to empower the central government to send central forces unilaterally in the event of communal disturbances.
J&K CM Omar Abdullah said any step that will reduce communal violence is a good thing but the implications of the proposed bill on the state has to be discussed before his party, the National Conference, takes any decision.
The BJP slammed the move and accused Congress of trying to ‘communalise’ country before elections.
The passage of the bill has been pending for some time now in face of stiff opposition from the BJP. Shinde on Monday said work has begun on moving ahead with the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill that aims to protect minorities from targeted attacks. The move comes in wake of the recent communal riots in Muzaffarnagar, UP.
‘I have sought details of the bill from the concerned department,’ he told reporters in the capital. Asked whether the bill will be tabled in the next session of Parliament, expected to begin November-end, Shinde said he was not sure. Rahman Khan, while noting that UP riots had underlined inadequacies in existing laws to deal with such clashes, pitched for introduction of the Bill in the winter session.
The communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas last month claimed 62 lives and displaced over 40,000 people. Khan dismissed BJP’s claim that the UPA government is pushing for the Bill with an eye on elections, saying it has been under consultation for a long time and the government’s job is to function ‘till the last day.’
BJP has dubbed the Bill as ‘anti-majority’ while some regional parties feel it violated federal principles. The Bill has also been opposed by some states as it seeks to empower the central government to send central forces unilaterally in the event of communal disturbances.
J&K CM Omar Abdullah said any step that will reduce communal violence is a good thing but the implications of the proposed bill on the state has to be discussed before his party, the National Conference, takes any decision.
The BJP slammed the move and accused Congress of trying to ‘communalise’ country before elections.
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