Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday stressed on the need to sustain communal harmony in the country.
In his opening remarks at the National Integration Council meet on Monday, Shinde listed out the agenda for the meet – Safety and security of women, atrocities against SC/STs and the rising spectre of communal violence in the country.
On the issue of women’s safety, Shinde said that no country can progress unless it treats its women with respect. Expressing concern on the increase in crime against women, Shinde stressed on the need to discuss what further steps can be taken to change attitude of society towards women.
Shinde then raised the issue of the continued discrimination against SC/STs in the country. He said the SC/ST has been subjected to atrocities and the rate of conviction in prevention of atrocities act is very poor.
“Despite attempts in Constitution, they have not been integrated completely in the society,” he said.
On the issue of communal violence – in focus after the Muzaffarnagar riots – Shinde said that there is a need to contain communal violence and maintain harmony and also a need to strengthen the forces of national integration.
“Minor incidents are leading to communal tension amongst communities and people being displaced. Communal forces seem to have got more emboldened and are sparking more conflicts,” he said.
