Anti-communal violence bill in winter session: Shinde

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Tuesday said the government intends to bring the communal violence prevention bill in the winter session of parliament.

At his monthly press conference, Shinde said the government was willing to address the concerns of any state on the bill.

"It is our effort to bring it in the winter session. If any state government has reservations on any point, they can communicate to me, my office," Shinde said.

He said the bill has been pending since 2005.

"A lot of discussions have been held," he said and noted that Home Secretary Anil Goswami had held a meeting with state home secretaries on the bill.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is opposed to the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill. The party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and some chief ministers opposing the bill.

The winter session of parliament began Dec 5 and will continue till Dec 20.