Mamata Banerjee attacks centre over communal violence bill

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday accused the central government of "unnecessary interfering in the activities of the state governments" after a bill on preventing communal violence was revived.

"Just a few months before the Model Code of Conduct for general elections comes into being, the central government has again brought a bill called 'Prevention of Communal Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2013', which impinges upon the domain of maintenance of law and order by the state government. It looks like a political vendetta," said Banerjee on her official Facebook page.

"Continuous and unnecessary interference in the activities of the state governments is totally anti-federal and unconstitutional. In the name of prevention of communal violence, the central government should not usurp the constitutional powers of the state governments. I strongly oppose this idea," added Banerjee.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party has dubbed the Bill that aims to protect minorities from targeted attacks, as "anti-majority", some regional parties feel it violates federal principles.