Work on Communal Violence Bill has begun: Shinde

Action has been initiated on making the Communal Violence Bill a law to protect minorities from targeted attacks, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said, but was not sure if it will be tabled in the Winter Session of Parliament.
"I have sought details of the Bill from the concerned department," he told reporters here.
Asked whether the Bill will be tabled in the Winter Session of Parliament, expected to begin by November-end, Shinde said he was not sure. "But yes, work has started on it," he said.
Officials in the Home Ministry and the Law Ministry have, however, 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.

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-led National Advisory Council.
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.

Sources said there have strong objections from some state government on setting up of such a "supervisory body".