Govt revises guidelines to tackle communal violence

To tackle communal violence in India, the Union government on Thursday made public revised guidelines on dos and don'ts for state authorities to deal with such situation.

The guidelines also suggested making of "demographic profiles" to keep records of "religious conversions and re–conversions" to identify sensitive areas for taking precaution.

In letters written to the chief secretaries, Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta said: "It has been amply demonstrated in the past that, if due vigilance is maintained, careful planning done and preparatory measures put in place, many possible incidents of communal violence can be pre–empted and prevented and wherever, despite this, communal violence does occur, it can be contained effectively."

The guidelines also warned of groups instigating violence of any kind. "If any such organizations is found to be indulging in any unlawful activity as defined in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, action to declare them as unlawful associations under the Act and other consequential action should be taken."

Copies of the guidelines have been sent to all states in the country.

In the backdrop of violence against Christians in Orissa and Karnataka, the Union govt came under attack for its inefficiency to control the violence that killed dozens and rendered thousands homeless.

Despite demands for imposition of President's rule and ban on Bajrang Dal for its alleged involvement, the government acted in support of the opposition parties.

During Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent visit to France for the 9th India–specific European Union, leaders of the 27–nation Union expressed strong concerns over the attack on Christians.

Both French President Nicolas Sarkozy, head of the European Council, and Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, took up the issue with the prime minister.