Communal Violence Bill: Kamal Nath accuses BJP of trying to divide communities

NEW DELHI: Accusing BJP of wanting to create a divide between communities, Kamal Nath, Minister of Urban Development on Thursday questioned the need to oppose the Communal Violence Bill.

"BJP will say that every bill is communal. I do not see why it should bother them. What are the contents of the bill? The bill only makes sure that there is justice and fairness in the event of communal violence," Nath told Times Now.

"Why should anybody object to it? It is BJP which is playing electoral politics on this. They are trying to create a divide between communities by opposing the bill," he added.

Stating that the bill has not yet reached the Cabinet, Nath said, "Consultations are being made with states. Everybody's view should be taken into account. I am not sure if the bill will be tabled in the Winter session of the Parliament," he said.

With Narendra Modi writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and expressing his discontent with the bill, BJP backed their Prime Ministerial candidate on the issue.

"This is an attempt to divide the country. It is also an attempt to override state's powers," said Ravi Shankar Prasad of BJP. "If the government tries to bring this Bill forcefully, we will certainly oppose it," Prasad added.

Echoing the same reservations over the bill, BJP's Murli Manohar Joshi said, " Communal Violence Bill is communal in itself, based on sentimentality." Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi of BJP said, "This is not Communal Violence Bill, but Communal Vote Bill."

Ram Madhav of RSS also accused Congress of indulging in political games. "This is an utterly communal move. It is a very harmful political game," he said. "If the government is keen on maintaining communal harmony, it should let a new government be formed. Then the bill can be debated," he added.

Questioning the timing of bringing the Communal Violence Bill, Narendra Modi described the proposed legislation as "ill-conceived, poorly drafted and a recipe for disaster" "Communal Violence Bill is ill-conceived, poorly drafted and a recipe for disaster," Modi said in his letter to the PM.

Terming the bill as an attempt to encroach upon the domain of states, Modi sought wider consultations among various stakeholders, such as state governments, political parties, police and security agencies, before making any move on the issue.

On his part, the PM said, "It will be our effort to evolve a broad based consensus on all matters which is of great legislative importance." Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde also said that a consensus would be achieved. "We will get a consensus and definitely bring this Bill in this session," Shinde said.