Govt may table communal violence bill in Parliament winter session

The controversial communal violence bill, which aims at protecting minorities from targeted attacks, may be introduced in the Winter Session of Parliament beginning Thursday.

Home Ministry officials said preparation has been on to move ahead with the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill, which has been hanging fire for some years.

The draft bill largely sticks to the provisions in the 'Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2011' prepared by Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council (NAC).

It proposes to impose duties on the Centre and state governments and their officers to exercise their powers in an impartial and non-discriminatory manner to prevent and control targeted violence, including mass violence against religious or linguistic minorities, SCs and STs.

The bill also proposes constitution of a body - National Authority for Communal Harmony, Justice and Reparation - by the Centre to exercise the powers and perform the functions assigned to it under this Act.

There have strong objections from some state governments on setting up of such a "supervisory body".

Officials in the Home Ministry and the Law Ministry have also reportedly objected to certain clauses in the draft bill, including responsibility of bureaucrats if communal violence erupts, saying these were obstructionists in performing normal duties.

Law Ministry is said to have favoured further strengthening of the provisions of the Bill without any infringement on the powers vested in state governments.

BJP has strongly opposed the proposed legislation and termed it as "dangerous" and "anti-majority", saying it will harm the federal structure of the Constitution. It has also questioned as to how the Bill could presume that the majority community is always responsible for riots.