By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Several civil society members and politicians and Muslim leaders sent a joint memorandum to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to pass the Communal violence Prevention Bill in the winter session of the Parliament.
In the wake of the Muzaffarnagar riots, they today held a joint press conference in the National Capital at the Indian Women’s Press Corps, attended by the likes of Maulana Mehmood Madani, Supreme Court Advocate Vrinda Grover, former Samajwadi party leader Kamal Farooqui, social activists Shabnam Hashmi and Gagan Sethi.
L-R: Maulana Niyaz Farooqui, Navaid Hamid, Maulana Mahmood Madani, Vrinda Grover, Kamal Farooqi, Shabnam Hashmi
The 2004 Common Minimum Programme of UPA I, held out the promise of a ‘comprehensive legislation’ that would strengthen the hands of the citizens to secure, they pointed out.
“One main thrust of such a legislation should be to counter impunity by securing accountability of all persons exercising State power, and to ensure comprehensive justice for the victim- survivor of communal and targeted violence,” the demanded.
Shabnam Hashmi noted in the press conference that they do not have the legislative power and the memorandum seeks to address the lacuna in the present system. She added that memorandum should be treated as recommendations prepared in consultations with various individuals and groups.
Hashmi demanded that the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill 2005 must be passed in the coming winter session, or has threatened to gherao the Parliament and to come out on street.
Former Rajya Sabha MP and General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind, Maulana Mehmood Madani added that this should not be treated as mere threat, but they will see to it that these are executed unless their demands are met.
Talking about Muzaffarnagar riots, Maulana Madani trashed the idea of a ‘spontaneous’ reaction, saying that the grounds for the riot were prepared for months, by distributing Trishuls, inciting people giving inflammatory speeches and distributing CDs of fake videos.
Former SP leader Kamal Farooqui said that the Muzaffarnagar riots might not have happened had such a bill was passed.
Advocate Vrinda Grover explained the details of the proposed bill and their demands which need to be included. She said that the main problem with all riot cases are the absence of accountability and fixing responsibility.
The 2005 C.V. Bill, which took the path of `declaration ‘of a `communally disturbed area’, and gave extraordinary powers to the Executive, was expressly rejected by all. The Bill was sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs that in its report tabled in Parliament in December 2006, did little to redeem the Bill.
In early 2009, the UPA government introduced 59 amendments into the Communal Violence Bill 2005, which made no change at all to the architecture of the Bill and which Bill remained deeply flawed and entirely unacceptable.
“The legislation introduced by the government in the Rajya Sabha on December 5, 2005, the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill 2005, unfortunately betrayed that promise,” the memorandum pointed out.
In 2011 the NAC proposed a draft C.V. Bill which incorporated some elements of accountability, justice and reparations. However the framework and definitional formulations in the NAC draft Bill, led to serious misgivings and concerns were raised by many quarters.
The memorandum signed by over 90 civil society groups and individuals, including ANHAD, Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association, film makers, social activists, academicians, among others, have demanded a “fresh initiative” to draft the Communal violence bill to “provide protection to all victims-survivors, and it should respect the federal framework. The key features of such a law are enumerated below.”
4. ALI ASGHAR, SOCAIL ACTIVIST, HYDERABAD
5. AMAR KANWAR, FILM MAKER, DELHI
6. ANHAD, DELHI
7. ANNIE RAJA, GENERAL SECRETARY, NATIONAL FEDERATION FOR INDIAN WOMEN
8. ANTARANGA, KANDHAMAL, ORISSA
9. ANURADHA CHENOY, PROFESSOR, JNU
10. ARSHAD AJMAL, BIHAR
11. ASAD ZAIDI, PUBLISHER AND WRITER, DELHI
12. BHAVNA SHARMA, ANHAD
13. DEV DESAI, SOCAIL ACTIVIST, GUJARAT
14. DHIRENDRA PANDA, ORISSA
15. DILIP SIMEON, HISTORIAN AUTHOR, DELHI
16. DR KM SHRIMALI, HISTORIAN
17. DR MOHAMMAD ARIF, CENTRE FOR HARMONY AND PEACE, VARANASI, UP.
18. DR. JYOTSNA CHATTERJI, JOINT WOMEN’S PROGRAMME, NEW DELHI
19. DR. MOHD. SAJJAD, AMU, ALIGARH
20. DR. NESHAT QUAISER, JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA, NEW DELHI
21. DR.MOHAN RAO, PROFESSOR, JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY
22. FARHAT AMIN, BHARTIYA MUSLIM MAHILA ANDOLAN, CUTTACK, ORISSA
23. GAGAN SETHI, CENTRE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND JANVIKAS, GUJARAT
24. HARSH KAPOOR, DELHI
25. HELEN SALDANHA, CBCI, WOMEN, NEW DELHI
26. JAGORI, DELHI
27. JAIBUNNISA R, BHARTIYA MUSLIM MAHILA ANDOLAN, TRICHY, TAMIL NADU
28. JAMAL KIDWAI, SOCIAL ACTIVIST, AMAN EKTA MANCH, DELHI
29. JAMIA TEACHER’S SOLIDARITY ASSOCIATION, DELHI
30. JAMILA KHAN, BHARTIYA MUSLIM MAHILA ANDOLAN, AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT
31. JASVEEN JAIRATH, HYDERABAD
32. JOHN DAYAL, MEMBER, NATIONAL INTEGRATION COUNCIL
33. KAILASH DANDAPAT, ORISSA
34. KAMAL MITRA CHENOY, PROFESSOR, JNU
35. KAMALA BHASIN, ACTIVIST, DELHI
36. KAVERI GILL, INDEPENDENT ACADEMIC, DELHI
37. KAVITA KRISHANAN, CPI_ML
38. KAVITA SRIVASTAVA, PUCL, RAJASTHAN
39. KEDAR MISHRA, POET, WRITER, BHUBANESHWAR, ORISSA
40. KHATUN SHAIKH, BHARTIYA MUSLIM MAHILA ANDOLAN, MUMBAI
41. KUNWAR DANISH ALI, SECRETARY GENERAL, JANATA DAL (SECULAR)
42. LEILA PASSAH – NATIONAL GENERAL SECRETARY – YWCA OF INDIA.
43. LOPAMUDRA BEHERA, ORISSA
44. MADHUMITA RAY, ACTIVIST, BHUBANESHWAR, ORISSA
45. MAHESH BHATT, FILMMAKER, PRODUCER, MUMBAI
46. MAHESH DATTANI, PLAYWRIGHT, DIRECTOR, MUMBAI
47. MAHESH PANDYA, SOCIAL ACTIVIST, GUJARAT
48. MANISHA SETHI, JAMIA TEACHER’S SOLIDARITY ASSOCIATION, DELHI
49. MANSI SHARMA, SOCIAL ACTIVIST, DELHI
50. MAULANA MEHMOOD MADANI, JAMAIT UL ULEMA E HIND
51. MAULANA NIAZ FAROOQUI, JAMAIT UL ULEMA E HIND
52. MEERA RIZVI, TV PROFESSIONAL, DELHI
53. MEHTAB ALAM, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, DELHI
54. MOHD AZAM, SOCIAL ACTIVIST, HYDERABAD, ANDHRA PRADESH
55. MONA DAS, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI, DELHI
56. NALINI TANEJA, ACADEMIC, DELHI
57. NAVSHARAN SINGH, RESEARCHER, DELHI
58. NAVAID HAMID, MEMBER, NATIONAL INTEGRATION COUNCIL
59. NOORJEHAN SAFIA NIAZ, BHARTIYA MUSLIM MAHILA ANDOLAN, MUMBAI
60. PRAMOD PATTANAIK, ORISSA
61. PROF KM SHRIMALI, HISTORIAN
62. PROF KN PANIKKAR, HISTORIAN
63. PROF RAM PUNIYANI, MUMBAI
64. PROF ROOPREKHA VERMA, FORMER VICE CHANCELLOR, UP
65. PROF. CHAMAN LAL (RETD), JNU, NEW DELHI
66. PUNEET SHARMA, FILMMAKER, DELHI
67. PUSHPASHREE DEBA, ORISSA
68. RAHIMA KHATUN, BHARTIYA MUSLIM MAHILA ANDOLAN, KOLKATA
69. RAJEEV YADAV, RIHAI MANCH, UP
70. RAMJAN CHOUDHARY, PRESIDENT, MEWAT VIKAS SABHA, NUH, HARYANA
71. RITES, MALKANGIRI, ORISSA
72. RUPESH, KOSHISH, PATNA, BIHAR
73. SAFIA AKHTAR, BHARTIYA MUSLIM MAHILA ANDOLAN, BHOPAL, MP
74. SALAR M. KHAN, LAWYER, DELHI
75. SALEEM KIDWAI, HISTORIAN AND ACTIVIST, DELHI
76. SAMUEL JAYAKUMAR,EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN INDIA
77. SAUMYA UMA, MUMBAI
78. SEEMA MUSTAFA, JOURNALIST DELHI
79. SHABNAM HASHMI, SOCIAL ACTIVIST, ANHAD
80. SHAHNAWAZ ALAM, RIHAI MANCH, UP
81. SHARANYA NAYAK, ORISSA
82. SM HILAL, FOUNDATION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES, KANPUR, UP
83. SQ MASOOD, HYDERABAD
84. TEHMINA ARORA, ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM, INDIA
85. UMA CHAKRAVARTI, ACADIMICIAN, DELHI
86. USHA RAMANATHAN, DELHI
87. VAHIDA NAINAR, MUMBAI
88. VINEET TIWARI, SANDARBH, INDORE, MADHYA PRADESH
89. VRINDA GROVER, ADVOCATE, DELHI
90. WAQAR QAZI, SOCIAL ACTIVIST, GUJARAT
91. ZAHEER ALI KHAN, HYDERABAD
92. ZAKIA SOMAN, BHARTIYA MUSLIM MAHILA ANDOLAN, GUJARAT