The Centre is all set to ask states to pull up their socks to prevent rising communal clashes in the country. After delayed action by the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh in making arrests in the recent cases of communal violence, the Union home ministry will ask states to maintain a “database” of all cases of communal clashes registered and the progress in prosecution, draw up a “crisis management plan” at state and district levels, besides asking the chief ministers to personally assess the communal situation at least every quarter.
The slew of measures come at a time when intelligence agencies have warned of communal flare-ups in the country in the run-up to the Assembly elections and the 2014 general elections and the forthcoming festive season.
The stringent set of guidelines will be shared with all chief ministers at the National Integration Council meet to be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday.
Top sources said state level integration committees are virtually inactive in most states spelling urgency for the state governments to give highest priority to maintenance of communal harmony. The MHA will impress upon states that prevention, control and protection and relief to the affected persons during a communal flare-up is the prime responsibility of the state governments.
Creation of composite battalions of armed police which should include members of all communities including SCs/ STs for use in maintaining communal peace in the sensitive areas and filling up police vacancies in the communally-sensitive areas on priority basis are some of major steps suggested by the MHA.
A major concern at the NIC meet will be the misuse of the social media and rumour mongering where states will be asked to crack down on rumour mongers, establish channels of communications with leaders of all communities, and strict action against those indulging in “intemperate and inflammatory speeches and utterances”.