By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Union government has deferred the proposed Communal Violence Bill (CVB) till winter session. Several Muslim organizations including All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) have lodged strong reservation over certain clause of the proposed CVB. The board will soon hold a meeting of Muslim and other like minded Member of Parliaments (MPs) in Delhi to continue the pressure for withdrawal of the CVB in present format besides inclusion of their suggestions.
AIMPLB member Mohd Adeeb informed TwoCircles.net that they had got assurance from the Home Ministry that the bill has been delayed till next winter session. “We had personal interaction with Ajay Maken, the State Minister for Home Affairs who assured us that bill will not be taken up during the coming budget session in second week of April,” said Mohd Adeeb, the Rajya Sabha MP who is co-ordinating the board’s protest against CVB among parliamentarians.
[Photo by thedailystar.net]
The AIMPLB has expressed strong reservation against certain clause of the CVB terming it as anti-Muslim during its recently concluded three day convention held between 19-21 March in Lucknow. “The bill in present format gives immense power to the executive. The DM and SP have been given extra constitutional powers like POTA and TADA and we know that victim will be Muslims,” said Zafaryab Jilani, member, AIMPLB. The board in its stand on CVB has demanded recalling of the bill and inclusion of its suggestions in revised form.
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On his part, Mohd Adeeb, MP stated that as per strategy of the board, he had personally met most of the Muslim MPs and all are up in arms over the proposed CVB. “Several secular minded MPs too are with us and we will not allow the bill to be presented in present format,” he said. Talking over the phone Adeeb also stated that in the business issued by the parliament the CVB has not been mentioned which implies that it will not be taken up during the upcoming budget session in April.
However, not leaving anything to chance, the AIMPLB has asked the Muslim MPs to keep tab on developments and throttle any move the central government to present the CVB in present format. “Our agitation will against the bill will continue and merely delaying the bill presentation is not the cure. The government should incorporate our suggestion and we will not hesitate in taking the matter to the court,” said Adeeb.