UNION MINISTER of State for Home Affairs Sriprakash Jaiswal has said that the Central Government is in the process of enacting a new legislation aimed at curbing communal riots in the country.
“The Communal Violence bill has been sent to the standing committee after its introduction in the Rajya Sabha and is likely to be passed in the forthcoming budget session after generating opinion of the people belonging to diverse fields, including the State government,” Jaiswal told reporters here on Friday.
He said public seminars would be held in different parts of the country to elicit people’s opinion on the bill.
“Seminars have already been conducted in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai while they are being proposed for Lucknow, Kolkata and Chandigrah in the near future,” Jaiswal said.
Jaiswal further said a provision had been made in the bill for the Centre’s direct interference in the riot-affected area in any part of the country so that paramilitary forces could be deployed if communal violence prolonged.
“A provision for quick disposal of cases by setting up special courts to deal with riot cases has also been made in the bill, and the guilty will face double punishment,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“A provision for quick disposal of cases by setting up special courts to deal with riot cases has also been made in the bill, and the guilty will face double punishment,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}However, he could not explain how a person with a death sentence or life imprisonment could be awarded double punishment.
He further said quick rehabilitation and compensation to victims had been ensured in the bill.