New Delhi: The Government on Monday introduced a bill in the Rajya Sabha to provide more teeth to both the Centre and States to prevent and control communal violence.
The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005 was introduced by Home Minister Shivraj Patil amid commotion in the House over the Volcker issue.
According to statement of objects and reasons, the bill empowers Central and State governments to take measures to provide for prevention and control of communal violence, which threatens secular fabric, unity, integrity, and internal security of the nation.
Outling the provisions of the Bill, Patil said, “What we are saying here is that when a disturbance takes place, that area can be declared a disturbed area by the state. If the state does not, as in other laws, the union can do it.”
The bill provides for constitution of a National, State and District Communal Disturbance Relief and Rehabilitation Council.
It prohibits any discrimination in providing compensation and relief to victims of communal violence on grounds of sex, caste, community or religion.
The bill proposes to arm State governments to declare certain areas as communally disturbed, lay down measures for prevention of acts leading to communal violence and enhance punishments.
It also provides for speedy investigation and trial of offences through special courts, and make institutional arrangements for relief and rehabilitation of victims.
Giving special powers to the Centre to deal with communal violence in certain cases, it provides for directing State governments to take all immediate measures to suppress violence and to deploy armed forces to deal with the situation at the request of State governments.
(With inputs from PTI)
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