Anti-riot bill likely to be redrafted

NEW DELHI: The UPA government has decided to redraw the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, which was an important promise made in the ruling alliance���s common minimum programme during its first five years in office, on the grounds that the original legislation bore striking similarities with the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

``The Communal Violence bill is being re-drafted,������ a news agency report quoted a senior home ministry official as saying. There was a feeling within the government that provisions in the draft legislation harped on sending more central forces to the affected regions, which was similar to AFSPA, the official said.

The bill was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2005, but had drawn flak from many parties, including some of the components of UPA. A revised version was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2007, but the government subsequently had second thoughts on introducing it in Parliament.

President Pratibha Patil, in her speech to the joint session of Parliament in June this year, had spoken of the government���s commitment towards an early introduction of the bill.

The provisions which gave the Centre the authority to issue directions to a state government on what steps to take in dealing with a communal violence, and, another which empowered the Centre to transfer a communal violence case from one high court to another had run into stiff opposition.

The bill lays down measures for prevention of acts leading to communal violence, enhances the quantum of punishments and makes provisions for speedy investigation and trial of offences through special courts.

In addition, the bill also proposes institutional arrangements for relief and rehabilitation measures for victims of communal violence and seeks to make provisions for compensation to them along with granting of special powers to the Centre in certain cases.

The bill also seeks the setting up of communal disturbance relief and rehabilitation councils at the national, state and district levels.

In the wake of communal violence in Kandhamal, the then home minister had made a strong pitch for its passage. Many organisations have been demanding such a legislation, in the aftermath of Gujarat riots and communal violence in Orissa and Karnataka in last year.