NEW DELHI, Aug 31 (UNI): Home Minister Shivraj Patil today saidthe government can make new laws to prevent communal violenceand ensure that investigation is done and justice dispensedwithout delay through special investigation, machinery andcourts and also compensation given to the victims.
Addressing the National Integration Council (NIC) meeting here this morning, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Home Minister said when those who are given the responsibility to protect the innocent, fail to discharge their duties, "they should be held accountable and punished." Calling for adhering to the principles of equality, fraternity, unity, democracy and secularism in governance of the country, Patil said the centre proposed to make laws to prevent communal disharmony, disturbance and violence.
He asserted that protecting unity was essential for communal harmony and said government machinery had to be used to achieve the aim of avoiding narrow-mindeness and short-sightedness.
State governments and the centre had so far discharged their duties in lne with these directions but there were times when they had failed also, he said.
They had failed when they had adopted these narow attitudes towards life, emphasised on division rather than on unity, when they had been short-sighted and less comprehensive.
He said the centre would follow the principles enshrined in the basic law of the country and ethos in society.
