A showdown between Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party appears imminent over the communal violence bill with the ruling party dismissing as "pernicious propaganda" the latter's criticism that the law was fraught with dangerous consequence.
Noting that the BJP's reaction on the draft bill was "premature" as nothing has been finalised, Singhvi said, "BJP is trying to further its communal agenda...it clearly reflects BJP's guilt complex."
"It is trying to communalise the proposed draft bill. This clearly indicates BJP's deep perverse and guilt. By seeking to debunk even before it is final, they are trying to abort the legislation even before its birth," Singhvi said.
He was reacting to BJP's criticism of the bill that it would go against the federal rights of states and hold only the majority community guilty of hate propaganda and targeted violence.
Terming the BJP's objections as "pernicious rumour mongering", Singhvi said the criticism does not hold any water as 60 provisions of the bill give the state all the powers in such circumstances.
He said that one provision that allows the Centre to intervene in disturbed areas is after "triple cumulative tests" like asking states to act and sending it advisories.
"If an apathetic government refuses to act on deep divisive communal acts, then what is the harm in central government acting? They have a guilty mind. Communal violence is a singular beneficial peace. It is part of our belief system. We believe it is highly necessary. It will inspire confidence among victims of communal violence," he said.
Attacking BJP over the issue of communalism, Singhvi said those carrying the agenda of Babri mosque demolition and Gujarat riots will oppose the bill as "these people are naturally going to be buried by the communal violence bill".
He alleged that the opposition party, which shares an "umbilical chord with RSS" has a communal agenda since its birth and evolution. Noting that there is hardly any ground for "debunking it", Singhvi accused BJP of "misleading" people by saying that the bill will create an imbalance in inter-community relationship.
In an article put on the party's website, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said that the bill will intrude into the domain of the state, damage federal polity and create an imbalance in inter-community relationship.
Jaitley states that the draft bill presumes that communal trouble is created only by members of the majority community and never by a member of the minority community.
Sources in the Congress said that despite BJP's objection, there is no threat to the bill seeing through Parliament.
A senior leader felt that the Left may tend to attack the ruling party initially on the issue of federal polity but would find it hard to oppose the bill's passage given the sensitiveness of the minorities towards the bill.
The leader also sounded confident of the support of Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janta Dal and BSP over the issue.
While admitting that the United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam may go against the bill, the leader said All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could come forward to support it in such situation.
