New Delhi: The Jharkhand Assembly on Tuesday passed the Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021, which aims to provide “effective protection” of constitutional rights and prevent mob violence in the state.
After incorporating an amendment, the Bill was passed and sent to the Governor for his assent. Once notified, Jharkhand will become the fourth state after West Bengal, Rajasthan and Manipur to bring in such a law.
The Bill defines lynching as “any act or series of attempts to aid, violence or death by a mob on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place, whether spontaneous or planned. on the basis of birth, language, dietary practices, sexual orientation, political affiliation, ethnicity or any other basis”.
The original bill, introduced in the House by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Alamgir Alam, began with the words: “To provide for effective protection of the conversational rights of the Derbal person of the State of Jharkhand and to provide constitutional safeguards by Bhid. Rights of vulnerable persons and to prevent mob violence and lynching…)”
During the discussion, BJP’s Godda MLA Amit Kumar Mandal said, “I just want to ask what is the definition of the word ‘Derbal (weak)’… the death of constable Ratan Lal Meena during the anti-CAA protest (in Delhi). Had happened. Wouldn’t his death come under the purview of lynching?… Please replace the word ‘derable’ with ‘citizen’.”
To this, Alam said the government would accept the proposal and later amended the bill to replace ‘darbal’ with ‘aam nagrik (common citizen)’.
BJP MLA Amar Bauri said that the bill is an attempt of appeasement politics and is not pro-tribal. “There is a tradition in the tribal community,” he said.
Solve various issues arising from your village etc… Tomorrow if there is any problem and tribals want to solve a certain issue, someone can be booked for instigating the accused. This bill is anti-Jharkhand.
CPI(M) MLA Vinod Singh said the bill is “very important” for the state, but as per rules, it should be introduced at least five days in advance and in special circumstances three days in advance. He said the bill has been made in detail but “is silent on compensation”. However, except Mandal’s, all the amendments were rejected and the bill was passed.
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