The bill authorises appointment of a nodal officer to deal with the cases of mob violence (File)
The Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal will bring a bill to tackle mob violence, sources said. The bill which proposes stringent action against those convicted in cases of mob violence, will be brought in the state assembly on August 30.
The West Bengal (Prevention of Lynching) Bill proposes a jail sentence of 3 years to life imprisonment and Rs 1 lakh fine for those convicted of such crimes. If the victim dies after being assaulted, the convicts will have to pay Rs 5 lakh as fine along with a jail term, it says.
The bill also proposes punishment to those who spread fake news, sources say. It authorises the appointment of a nodal officer to deal with the cases of mob violence.
"The bill aims to protect the constitutional rights of vulnerable persons and prevent incidents of lynching. It also proposes action against those involved in perpetrating the crime," a senior TMC minister told news agency PTI.
"As per the bill, the state director general of police will appoint a coordinator, who will act as a nodal officer to monitor and take measures to prevent incidents of lynching," the minister added.
The bill comes amid a rise in the cases of mob violence in many parts of the country.
Earlier this month, the Rajasthan legislative assembly passed a similar bill that proposed life imprisonment and a fine from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to those convicted in cases of mob lynching leading to victim's death.
''The Rajasthan Protection from Lynching Bill, 2019'' was passed by the Vidhan Sabha by a voice vote amid vociferous protest by the opposition BJP, which wanted the Bill to be referred to a select committee.