12-06-2005, 08:12 AM
http://www.sandeepweb.com/2005/04/26/centr...y-another-name/
This Bill is sinister on several counts. If it gets through, it will mean a return to the golden era of concentration of power at the Centre. And thereâs no mention of the conditions under which an area can be branded as âcommunally sensitive.â Even assuming that these conditions are well-thought out, given its record, the Congress can declare any area as âcommunally sensitiveâ at its whim. For a party that shamelessly sought to overturn the Constitution on occasions too numerous to count (latest, Goa, and Jharkhand), imposing this law should be a cakewalk. Worse still, is a clause that states,
â¦the ââspecial court shall presume, unless the contrary is proved, that such person has abetted the offence.'â
In other words, guilty unless proved innocent.
It is worthwhile to ponder over the timing of this bill. Why now? Also, the brains that have worked overtime to formulate this bill merit special mention.
The draft Bill, finalised by the Home Ministry is being studied by the Prime Ministerâs Office and the National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by Sonia Gandhi.
A lady whose educational qualification is suspect, heads a council formed to formulate a law as sensitive as this. A lady, who is merely a party functionaryâshe might be designated President, but she still is a functionaryâwith no active role in running the government has agreed to supervise this. And she definitely gives her assent to these words of the bill,
According to the preamble to the Communal Violence (Suppression) Bill 2005-a promise made by the UPA in its Common Minimum Programme-the Bill is in exercise of the constitutional ââduty of the Union to protect States against external aggression and internal disturbance.'â
Soniaâs name as the top lady is too conspicuous to be ignored because on the other burning issue of the Naxal menace, her silence is conspicuously thunderous. More so when the officials of the Home Ministry are worried and angry about the Naxal threat.
âEither the naxalites helped out with funding or in influencing the electorates, and some CMs are in power on account of them,â said an enraged home official, âand, therefore, they want no part in a joint strategy which will ultimately combat the naxalite menace.â
(Source: India Reacts, linked above)
This Bill is sinister on several counts. If it gets through, it will mean a return to the golden era of concentration of power at the Centre. And thereâs no mention of the conditions under which an area can be branded as âcommunally sensitive.â Even assuming that these conditions are well-thought out, given its record, the Congress can declare any area as âcommunally sensitiveâ at its whim. For a party that shamelessly sought to overturn the Constitution on occasions too numerous to count (latest, Goa, and Jharkhand), imposing this law should be a cakewalk. Worse still, is a clause that states,
â¦the ââspecial court shall presume, unless the contrary is proved, that such person has abetted the offence.'â
In other words, guilty unless proved innocent.
It is worthwhile to ponder over the timing of this bill. Why now? Also, the brains that have worked overtime to formulate this bill merit special mention.
The draft Bill, finalised by the Home Ministry is being studied by the Prime Ministerâs Office and the National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by Sonia Gandhi.
A lady whose educational qualification is suspect, heads a council formed to formulate a law as sensitive as this. A lady, who is merely a party functionaryâshe might be designated President, but she still is a functionaryâwith no active role in running the government has agreed to supervise this. And she definitely gives her assent to these words of the bill,
According to the preamble to the Communal Violence (Suppression) Bill 2005-a promise made by the UPA in its Common Minimum Programme-the Bill is in exercise of the constitutional ââduty of the Union to protect States against external aggression and internal disturbance.'â
Soniaâs name as the top lady is too conspicuous to be ignored because on the other burning issue of the Naxal menace, her silence is conspicuously thunderous. More so when the officials of the Home Ministry are worried and angry about the Naxal threat.
âEither the naxalites helped out with funding or in influencing the electorates, and some CMs are in power on account of them,â said an enraged home official, âand, therefore, they want no part in a joint strategy which will ultimately combat the naxalite menace.â
(Source: India Reacts, linked above)