MANGALORE – UPA government is open to disparate voices emanating on its move to introduce the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill 2011 and will take a final call after listening to all opinions, noted Union minister for corporate affairs M Veerappa Moily. It is not a new bill, Moily said, adding that the first draft moved in 2005 has been debated thread bare at various levels including the parliamentary standing committee.
Describing the bill inevitable for the present India going through communal strife at various levels, and with no provisions to combat it effectively under any provision of the Constitution or other piece of legislations in place, he said, “Framers of the Indian Constitution had not foreseen the kind of developments taking place now.” The UPA government is trying to fill this vacuum through this piece of legislation, the former law minister noted.
Interacting with reporters at meet the press programme organised by DK Working Journalists Union here on Sunday, Moily said the UPA government would hear all sides of the argument. Dismissing noises made by the saffron outfits on the bill, Moily said, “I am sure that even the hardcore elements among the Saffron outfits including RSS want communal amity,” he said adding that it is an argumentative India and UPA government will not panic or backtrack.
Describing plan by UP Chief Minister Mayawati to bifurcate Uttar Pradesh in to four smaller states as a political stunt, Moily said, while the idea per se of having smaller states for better governance is a good idea, the timing of her announcement with elections in that state round the corner is bad. There should be no political upmanship on such important issues, he said, adding Mayawati could have brought it up before the National Development Council.
