National

Centre seeks reports on communal violence

NEW DELHI: In what may be seen as the groundwork for imposing a ban on the Sangh Parivar outfits, including the Bajrang Dal, the Centre on Wednesday sought reports from all State governments on recent incidents of communal violence and the organisations suspected to be involved in them.

In a two-page letter sent to the State governments and Union Territories, the Union Home Ministry has asked them to furnish reports on action they had taken against such organisations and individuals.

The Ministry sources said that the communication was sent to the State governments recently when a vociferous demand was made by allies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) during a meeting of the Union Cabinet to ban organisations such as the Bajrang Dal allegedly involved in violence, arson and loot in Kandhamal district in Orissa.

The Cabinet meeting had also seen a similar demand being made by the allies, particularly the Janata Dal (U), Rashtriya Janata Dal and Lok Jan Shakti Party, to take strict action against the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and its chief Raj Thackeray for attacking north Indians in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra.

In their bid to put pressure on the Centre for taking action, five MPs from the JD(U) from Bihar quit their Lok Sabha seats over the issue of MNS attacks.

Though no deadline has been prescribed by the Home Ministry, informed sources said that State governments could send their reports within a week or so.

The Centre can impose a ban on organisations such as the Bajrang Dal under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act but its validity has to be determined by a Tribunal within six months of the ban order.

Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed, who is also the Union Minister of State for Home, said the harsh anti-terror law of Gujarat (GUJCOCA), awaiting clearance of the Centre, should be sent back to the State government for eliciting its fresh comments, particularly in the wake of alleged involvement of the Sangh Parivar outfits in recent incidents of blasts.

In another development, the Cabinet Committee on Security on Wednesday approved re-imposition of the ban on three north-eastern extremist organisations – the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), and the Meghalaya-based Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).

Corrections and Clarifications

The fourth paragraph of a report "Centre seeks reports on communal violence" (November 13, 2008) wrongly included the Janata Dal (U) along with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Lok Jan Shakti Party, as part of the UPA.

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