Indian Bishops: Urgent need for law on inter-religious violence

(January 04, 2012) The Communal Violence Bill (CVB) is a "urgent" and "important" law for a mature democracy like in India say the Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) commenting on the non-inclusion of the law on inter-religious violence in the winter parliamentary sessions. Commissioned by Sonia Gandhi’s National Advisory Council (NAC), the CVB gives the central government the power to intervene directly in cases of inter-religious violence, bypassing the state authorities. The need for this law has arisen since the events of Gujarat Muslim Hindu violence in 2003 and Orissa anti Christian violence in 2008 where, Delhi was not able to operate without the request of the local government. Opposition forces and activists continue to criticize the bill, found to be unconstitutional for this opportunity given to the central authorities. For the Bishops' Conference the law is designed to ensure the state authorities perform their duties fairly and impartially. The CBCI clarifies that the Bill is to allow victims of majority community as well as those of minority communities to enjoy the same rights. Secondly, the Bishops Conference says that the law only provides for the establishment of a national authority, an external body with the task of monitoring the cases of inter-religious violence and does not take away powers of the State Governments.