Kerala - Kozhikode   

Popular Front of India’s plea for new Bill on communal violence

Special Correspondent

Kozhikode: The Popular Front of India, formed by a group of organisations engaged in campaigning for the rights of minorities and Dalits in South India, has appealed to the Central Government to drop the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005 and introduce a new Bill before Parliament, incorporating the views and concerns of human rights organisations.

E. Abdurahman, general secretary of the front, said here on Monday that the secretariat of the front opposed the Bill since, in its perception, it would pave the way for the misuse of power by the State machinery and increased persecution of minorities.

The front would mobilise public opinion in favour of an early publication and implementation of the recommendations of National Commission for Linguistic and Religious Minorities, headed by Ranganath Mishra, which reportedly contained specific suggestions on granting reservation for Muslims.

He said a convention of social organisations and activists from South Indian States would be held here on September 2 to discuss the issues related to the commission’s report.

The front wanted the Bill to have provisions to enhance the powers of citizens to resist State terrorism perpetrated in collaboration with communal outfits. The front believed that such actions took place during the Gujarat carnage, which claimed a number of lives.

Under the provisions of the Bill, investigation of communal crimes and establishment of special courts would take place only if the State governments issued notifications. This was objectionable.

The front had demanded that the proposed legislation should have a wider definition of the term communal violence.

In the Bill now being considered, the definition was limited to listing of offences under the existing laws, such as the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, the Explosives Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act and the Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act. The front wanted all acts of communal incitement, such as hate speech and violent mobilisation, to be included in the definition.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs had approved the draft Bill. The front had appealed to the Government not to pass the Bill.

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