M A I N   N E W S

Communal violence Bill gets Cabinet nod

Diluted version Role of the legislation in handling of riots reduced Powers of Centre’s intervention during riots diluted Made neutral between all groups or communities Likely to be tabled in Parliament today.

New Delhi, December 16
After much delay, the controversial Communal Violence Prevention Bill was today cleared by the Union Cabinet after removal of certain provisions, reducing the role of the legislation in handling of riots and making it neutral between communities.

The “Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2013”, which is facing stiff opposition from BJP and some other parties, is likely to be introduced in Parliament tomorrow.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the Bill was approved by the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and “we will try to table the Bill in Parliament tomorrow”.

The Bill, in its initial avatar, had mentioned that the onus of riots would be on the majority community. But after much hue and cry by the BJP and some other parties, this provision was amended and has now been made neutral between all groups or communities.

A file photo of policemen after clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district.

The powers of intervention of the Centre in the event of riots have also been diluted in the revised Bill as a result of which the Union Government will not have any perceived overriding powers anywhere.

The fresh draft says: “If the state government is of the opinion that assistance of the Central Government is required for controlling the communal violence, it may seek the assistance of the Central Government to deploy armed forces of the Union for such purposes...”

Earlier, the Centre was given unilateral powers to send central paramilitary forces during the outbreak of communal violence without consulting the state government.

The amendments were carried out in the wake of criticism by BJP besides West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa. — PTI