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| Govt re-drafts Bill to control communal violence |
| Press Trust of India / New Delhi Sep 27, 2009, 17:20 IST |
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UPA government's much-touted Bill to prevent and control communal violence is back to the drafting table.
The government decided to re-draft the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, part of the common minimum programme of UPA-I, as it found that it had striking similarities with the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
"The Communal Violence bill is being re-drafted," a senior Home Ministry official said.
There was an opinion among the government that provisions in the draft legislation emphasised on sending more central forces to the affected regions, which was similar to the AFSPA, the official said.
The Bill was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2005 but had drawn criticism from many parties, including some UPA constituents.
The provisions which gave the Centre the authority to issue directions to a state government on what steps to take to deal with communal violence, and, another which empowered the Centre to transfer a communal violence case from one High Court to another had run into stiff opposition.
The Bill lays down measures for prevention of acts leading to communal violence, enhances the quantum of punishments and makes provisions for speedy investigation and trial of offences through special courts.
In addition, the Bill also proposes institutional arrangements for relief and rehabilitation measures for victims of communal violence and seeks to make provisions for compensation to them along with granting of special powers to the Centre in certain cases.
The Bill also seeks the setting up of a National Communal Disturbance Relief and Rehabilitation Council, State Communal Disturbance Relief and Rehabilitation Council and District Communal Disturbance Relief and Rehabilitation Council.
The government had planned to move the Bill for consideration and passing in Parliament in December but decided against it at the last moment.
In the wake of communal violence in Kandhamal in Orissa last year, the then Home Minister had made a strong pitch for its passage in Parliament.
Many organisations have been demanding such a legislation, in the aftermath of Gujarat riots and incidents of communal violence in Orissa and Karnataka in last year.
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