Shivraj Patil

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said on Tuesday that incidents of communal violence in the country had decreased in the last two years. He, however, admitted that there was considerable scope for improvement.

While "something more had to be done" by the Centre, State Governments and local bodies, it was imperative for the people to take the initiative in this matter, he said while replying to a short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on communal violence in Vadodara and other parts of the country.

Mr. Patil said the number of communal incidents and people killed and injured had all registered a decline since 2004. While 193 people were killed in communal incidents in 2003, the corresponding figure for the next two years was 134 and 124 respectively. Till May 12 this year, 58 people had been killed. However, since some recent incidents had attracted considerable attention, "we have started feeling the situation has deteriorated. There is slight improvement but it is not satisfactory."

Vadodara incident

Blaming the local administration for the violence in Vadodara leading to six deaths, he felt "those who have the responsibility of administration have to consider the impact of their actions in the minds and hearts of the people. They did not do it in a sensitive manner. If we are not tactful and are in a hurry, we would be compelled to face situations like these."

The Minister said the religious structure in Vadodara was not demolished on the Gujarat High Court's orders. Rather, the local municipal corporation had drawn up demolition plans much in advance. "Nothing would have changed if it had kept the feelings of the people in mind. That was necessary because of what had happened previously in some parts of Gujarat ... but the administration did not pay attention," he said at the end of a three-hour discussion that saw sharp exchanges between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members on one side and the Left and the Congress on the other.

Though Vadodara was an exception, he complimented the people of other places such as Varanasi, Delhi and Doda for not getting provoked by attempts to stir communal passions.

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