Govt committed to protect interests of minorities: Chidambaram

In the wake of riots in Bareilly and Hyderabad, the government today assured the minorities that it was committed to protecting their interests and said that a new law to deal with communal violence will be put in place by the end of this year.

Home Minister P Chidambaram said the country has witnessed communal violence at various places on the slightest pretext and some of them can be traced back to trivial and petty quarrels that resulted in trauma, fear and insecurity in minority communities and deepening of divide.

"It is therefore an urgent need to dispel any misgiving on the part of the minority community and assure them that the government of India is committed to preserve, protect and promote secular values and provide equality of opportunity to all religious minorities," he said addressing a conference of State Minorities Commissions.

Chidambaram said the Central government was working on a law for prevention, control and rehabilitation of the victims of the communal violence since December 2005 when the bill was referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee.

"Beginning December 2005, it has been a journey of four year or more. It is likely that the journey will come to an end and it is my earnest hope that before the end of the year, we will have a law for the prevention and control of communal violence and rehabilitation of the victims," he said.