Communal Violence Bill: BJP dubs it communal vote bill

NEW DELHI: The BJP has blasted the government’s attempt to dust up the controversial Communal Violence Bill, saying it was being done with an eye on elections and would encourage “minority communalism”, intrude into the domain of states and make only Hindus culpable.

“Before the UP polls last year, they took up religion-based reservation, trying to send across the message that the Congress is their well wisher. This time, ahead of the assembly elections, they are taking up this bill,” said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, one of the BJP’s Muslim faces.

The legislation, titled the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill, 2011’ and which has been hanging fire, is being pushed by the minority affairs ministry which wants it to be tabled in the winter session of Parliament.

The BJP has termed the bill as “anti-majority” and says its provisions would allow targeting certain organisations and groups.

Labeling Congress and its allies as a “self-styled secular syndicate”, Naqvi said the bill reflected the ruling party’s “negative” mentality. “People will be divided on communal lines,” he said.