In the wake of Muzaffarnagar riots, the National Integration Council (NIC) will meet on September 23 to discuss how to combat communalism and casteism.
The meeting of NIC, to be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is expected to discuss threadbare the growing incidents of communal violence like the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Union Ministers, Leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, Chief Ministers of all states and Union Territories are members of the NIC.
Leaders of national and regional political parties, chairpersons of national commissions, eminent journalists, public figures and representatives of business and women s organisations are also part of NIC which has nearly 150 members.
Set up in early 1960s by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the NIC held its first meeting in 1962. The Council reviews matters relating to national integration and makes recommendations on such issues.
The NIC aims at finding ways and means of combating the menace of communalism, casteism and regionalism. The NIC meeting assumes significance as the country has witnessed 451 incidents of communal violence till August-end this year, in comparison to 410 incidents last year.
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had on Wednesday said the central government has already warned 11 states about possible communal violence ahead of 2014 general election and asked them to remain alert about such designs.
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