Political parties voice strong opposition to communal violence bill

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), CPI (M) and the Trinamool Congress on Saturday lashed out at the UPA government for adopting a bill that is aimed at checking communal violence and to ensure stricter punishment for perpetrators.

Several dissenting views on the proposed Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill 2011 surfaced at the National Integration Council (NIC) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.

Leaders of NDA-ruled states termed the bill a "dangerous" legislation and said it went against the country's federal structure.

Karnataka Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda expressed apprehensions of the bill being misused by the central government or state governments. He said the proposed bill could do little to prevent communal violence.

Despite failing to secure the rights of minorities in his state, Gowda said Karnataka government succeeded in maintaining communal harmony and in taking action against perpetrators of violence.

Expressing his views, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the bill showed a feeling of mistrust in the state government machinery and lacks clarity in defining crimes for organised communal violence.

Senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley said the proposed legislation was "dangerous" as it would "encourage communalism". Narendra Modi, Nitish Kumar, Jayalalithaa and Mayawati were among others who opposed the bill.

The draft bill, prepared by the National Advisory Council headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, seeks to prevent and control targeted violence against the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and religious minorities.

Speaking on the urgency of the bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said minority communities often feel they are being unfairly targeted in the "aftermath of unfortunate incidents".

"It is a matter of great satisfaction that in recent years relations among various communities have by and large remained harmonious. Members of this Council have played an active role in ensuring that people respond with maturity to developments that may otherwise flare up communal tempers," he said.

"Nevertheless, we need to maintain a continuous vigil in this regard. We also need to recognize that members of the minority communities often have a perception of being unfairly targeted by law enforcement agencies in the aftermath of unfortunate incidents," he added.

While the law must take its own course, the Prime Minister stressed the government must "ensure that our investigating agencies are free from biases and prejudices of any kind."

Addressing the National Integration Council, Dr John Dayal, Secretary General of the All India Christian Council, earlier raised several concerns of the Christian community including justice issues of Kandhamal and Dalit Christian demands.

Commenting on the communal violence bill, Dayal sought Christian representation in the structures it envisages and also said the bill needed some "fine-tuning on issues of protecting India's federalism and the autonomy of states".

"We commend its early adoption by government and its enactment as law after checking the Constitutionality of every clause and sub clause," said Dayal, who is also a member of the National Integration Council.