Trinamool joins NDA, non-UPA states in opposing Communal Bill

New Delhi, Sep 10 (PTI) The proposed Communal Violence
Bill in India on Saturday ran into trouble with NDA-ruled
states and some other governments, joined by UPA-constituent
Trinamool Congress, opposing the "dangerous" legislation and
arguing that it would hurt the federal structure of the
country.
At a meeting of National Integration Council (NIC) where
the issue was on the agenda, NDA and Chief Ministers of the
states ruled by it -- Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Punjab -- expressed
opposition to the draft legislation in its current form.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, who
also attended the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, said the proposed legislation was "dangerous" as it
would "encourage communalism" rather than curbing it byfurthering the divide between majority and minority
communities.
Dinesh Trivedi, senior leader of Trinamool Congress, a
key constituent of the UPA, said his party also opposes the
Bill in the present form.
Opposing the Bill, Chief Minister of BJD-ruled Orissa
Naveen Patnaik, said it has some "objectionable" provisions
which "directly affect the autonomy of states".
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, whose speech was
read out in absentia, said "it is not the opportune moment to
comment on the Bill".

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar voiced concern over
certain provisions in the Prevention of Communal and Targeted
Violence (Access to Justice and Regulations) Bill 2011, saying
it may create "impression" among the people at large that
majority community is "always responsible for communal
incidents."
In a speech read out by senior Bihar Minister Vijay
Kumar Chaudhary, Kumar asked the Centre to hold "thorough
discussion" with state governments for making certain
amendments that are warranted before introducing it in
Indian Parliament.
He specifically opposed the provision for promulgation
of Article 355 of the Constitution, which gives the Centre a
right to intervene, in a limited area during "internal
disturbance", saying it amounted to "unnecessary interference
in state's jurisdiction".
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said
the Bill was intended to meet "vested interests" and may
undermine the country's federal structure.
"The Bill expresses feeling of mistrust in the state
government machinery and lacks clarity in defining crimes for
organised communal violence," he said.
"I urge the Union Government to have faith in the state
governments and strengthen them, which in turn will strengthen
the nation. If state governments are weakened to serve some
vested interests, the nation will become weak and it will give
impetus to parochial forces," Chauhan said.
Questioning the need for the Bill, Chhattisgarh Chief
Minister Raman said it went against the federal spirit as it
will directly interfere with the legitimate authority of
states.
"The proposed Bill has many structural loopholes. The
biggest problem is that this Bill is against India's federal
structure. The national authority set up with the help of this
Bill will have the power to issue directions to any state
authority for any investigation," he said.
He said that the power of maintaining law and order
situation stays with a particular state and changes in this
system will bring unfavourable results in the long term.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank
asked the Indian Prime Minister and Home Minister P Chidambaram to give up their desire to pass the Bill in its
present form, saying the legislation would be a "big blow" to
national integration.
Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal said the Bill
that the government was trying to bring could lead to
"avoidable confrontation" between the Centre and states as
sections of it were a "direct transgression of states'
authority".
He also particularly expressed opposition to provision
for invoking Article 355.