Muslim leaders ask PM for law against communal violence

Muslim leaders Monday complained to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about incidents of communal violence in different parts of the country, and urged him to bring in an anti-communal violence bill soon, official sources said Monday.

Sources said the prime minister gave the leaders a sympathetic hearing and assured them that all would be done to ensure the security of different communities.

The prime minister told the leaders of the community that the anti-communal violence bill would be discussed at a meeting of the National Integration Council Sep 23.

As many as 15 Muslim leaders representing different organisations, including Mahmood Madani, general secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, and Samajwadi Party leader Kamal Farooqui, met the prime minister at his official residence here.

Stating that communalism was linked to terrorism and required legal measures of control, Farooqui said the anti-communal violence bill was needed to ensure society's safety.

"Accountability of officers in such cases should be fixed," he said.

--Indo-Asian News service

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