Resisting Communalism

Given the history of communal violence and riots in India, and more recently the carnage in Gujarat in 2002, PLD as part of the secular movement has pressed for a special law on the prevention and protection from communal violence. The Communal Violence Bill, 2005, has severely fallen short of fulfilling the legal gap in denting existing impunity for communal violence, state collusion and inaction, or adequate protection and redress to the victims. On the contrary it strengthens the states’ and central government’s power without increasing their accountability. Further, the bill fails to create new crimes or introduce new legal concepts to the existing legal regime, such as gender based crimes and mass sexual violence against women and command responsibility respectively.

For an introduction to the issue, refer to
http://communalism.blogspot.com/2007/06/national-consultation-on-communal.html

For specific critiques, refer to PUCL critique
http://www.pucl.org/Topics/Religion-communalism/2005/communal-violence-act.htm

ANHAD, HRLN and Jan Vikas’s evaluation
http://www.milligazette.com/dailyupdate/2006/20060208-communal-bill.htm

National Commission for Minorities’ analysis
http://ncm.nic.in/suggestion.html

Lawyers Collective’s critique can be accessed at
the ‘Lawyers’ Magazine, Issue January 2006

Harsh Mander’s analysis
http://communalism.blogspot.com/2005/04/this-law-wont-prevent-gujarat-harsh.html


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