JOIN USIn cold storage for years due to opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the controversial Communal Violence Prevention Bill is likely to be tabled in Parliament on Tuesday after the Cabinet cleared the proposed legislation at a marathon meeting on Monday evening.
The Union Cabinet cleared the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2013, after the removal of certain provisions, reducing the role of the legislation in handling of riots and making it neutral between communities. Sources said the bill was approved in its “entirety” in the new form.
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the government would try to table the bill in Parliament on Tuesday. In its initial avatar, the Bill had evoked criticism from the BJP as it put the onus of riots on the majority community.
However, 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.
The changes were made in the bill, which was first formulated in 2005, following criticism from the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
Following objections from some states, the government also diluted the powers of intervention of the Centre in the event of riots. The Union government will not have any perceived overriding powers anywhere.
“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,” it said.
Earlier, the Centre had powers to send central paramilitary forces during the outbreak of communal violence without consulting the state.
Government sources had earlier claimed that the proposed legislation is not affecting the federal structure of the country and the Centre's role will largely be of coordination and will act only when the state government seeks help.