New Delhi: CPI(M) on Saturday demanded that the
proposed Communal Violence Bill should stick to its purpose
and not include "other conflict interest" like caste factor.
"We want to ensure two things -- first, it should be
confined to communal violence. We cannot have all sorts of
other conflict interest coming in like caste etc," CPI(M)
leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters after the National
Integration Council (NIC) meeting.
"Secondly, the principles of federal system and rights of
state governments cannot be anyway encroached upon or diluted.
Keeping that in mind the draft should be made," he said.
Stressing upon the need of the Bill, he said "The bill
like this concerning communal violence and the rehabilitation
of victims is something that is required. That is something in
the Common Minimum Programme of UPA-1 which we had endorsed,
and on that basis a draft was prepared and referred to the
Standing Committee."
Referring to problems in the old draft, he said, "There
were certain problems and we gave a note of dissent on that
basis. It was returned to the Cabinet after that nothing seems
to have happened."
"Now a new draft is being drafted and the fact is that
there is an old bill... What happened to that?" he asked.
The draft of the new Bill is being opposed by the BJP,
BJD and TMC also.
PTI
