During the inauguration of National Integration Council today at Delhi, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh referring to the communal clashes that caused loss of life and property in Muzaffarnagar in UP, said that the guilty will be punished.   He also remembered the communal violence in Jammu and Kashmir and Assam few months ago and said that the Government will take steps to curb violence in the Country.

PM questions how a small local incident gave raise to such a riot that made so many flee from their places to take shelter somewhere else.  He also requested the leaders not politicize the communal riots for small benefits.  Manmohan Singh says that responsibility lies in the Government to ensure law and order and give security to the citizens.

The meeting of NIC assumed importance as 451 incidents of communal violence are reported till August in comparison to 410 last year.

Two important points that will be taken up during the daylong meeting of NIC are 1. The communal Violence Bill that entitles the Central Government to interfere in the State affairs when communal violence takes place.  The Bill was opposed by the opposition parties earlier.  2. Violence agaist SC/ST and other sections of the society.

The meeting is not attended by the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and both belong to BJP.

-SriJa