By TCN News,
New Delhi: All India Milli Council (AIMC) in collaboration with Institute of Objective Studies organized a discussion on Communal Violence Bill (CV) here yesterday at Indian Law Institute. The participants rejected the bill terming it purposeless in its present form and unanimously demanded amendment in it to make it effective to control the violence and to provide justice to the affected people.
The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha in November 2005 but due to strong objection from Muslim organizations and Human Rights NGOs it was put in pending. In 2009, the bill was revised and some considerable changes were made in it but still it needs some crucial changes to touch the real purpose.
Opening the session, famous economist Dr. Abu Saleh Sharif said: “In fact Communal Violence Bill is an appreciable step towards assurance of security to the lives and properties of the poor people who are usually affected during communal violence. But it will be dangerous if the present Bill becomes act because it will not curb the problem rather it will make oppressor more powerful and increase injustice with the oppressed section of the people.”
Highlighting the motive behind organizing the discussion, Dr Manzoor Alam, General Secretary, AIMC said: “The purpose of the program is to collect some useful and practical resolutions on the CV bill so that we can play our roles as a responsible member of civil society and give contribution to curb the communal hatred and spread the justice and truth all over the country.”
He also advised to constitute a working committee to work on the issue effectively which was later approved by the participants.
Objecting the provision of the bill which makes permission of government mandatory to register case against security forces, ex-Vice Chancellor of Agra University Dr. Manzoor Ahmad said: “It will give rise to misusing of power. During the 1987 Meerut communal violence 11 Muslims were killed in the jail while they were in judicial custody but no action was taken against guilty police officers. Similarly, in Malyana and Hashimpura Massacres permission for action against 70 guilty was sought but it was permitted only for 19.”
In his speech, noted journalist and civil rights activist Mr John Dayal appreciated the UPA government to draft the bill to provide a strong weapon to the minority against communal minded people but he stressed to revise the bill. “It is a matter of concern that bill is silent on action against spreading the communal poison among people which leads to the violence” he added.
Speaking on the occasion ACP (Retd) Moji Khan, treasurer of AIMC, said: “If security forces sincerely take action, violence would be controlled within 24 hours. Sorrowfully, after the incident police arrest innocent people and guilty register case against oppressed people. Therefore, it is necessary to take action against guilty impartially whether they are police or anyone else.”
The discussion was attended by intellectuals, educators, social activists and representatives of various organizations. They include Maulana Niyaz Ahmad Farooqi of Jamiat Ulema Hind, Maulana Abdul Wahab Khilji, Prof. Siddiq Hassan of Jamat-e-Islami Hind, Ilyas Malik, convener of Jamia Minority Coordination Committee, Prof. Afzal Wani, Advocate Yosuf Hatim Machala and Dalit leader Nand Lal.