Thursday, September 1 2005 16:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Government will finalize in a week the draft of a bill to deal with communal violence and seek people's opinion on it before taking it to the Union Cabinet for approval, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said yesterday night (Aug31, 2005).

"We have drafted three bills on the issue and we are in the process of preparing a final draft. We will post in on the internet within a week to seek people's views on it," he told reporters after a meeting of the National Integration Council which discussed 'Communal Harmony--Role of Government, Education and Media'.

After incorporating all suggestions, the bill would be taken to the Union Cabinet and then to Parliament, if necessary, he said adding it may be kept a 'model law' for states to emulate.

Patil said efforts were on the evolve a strategy to tackle communal disturbances with the help of a state Government or the Union Government, if necessary.