The government today assured the minorities that a new law to deal with communal violence will be put in place by the end of this year. In the wake of riots in Bareilly and Hyderabad, the government also reiterated its commitment to protect their interests. <br/><br/>Home Minister P Chidambaram said the country has witnessed communal violence at various places on the slightestpretext and some of them can be traced back to trivial and petty quarrels that resulted in trauma, fear and insecurity in minority communities and deepening of divide. <br/><br/>Addressing a conference of State Minorities Commissions in New Delhi, he said, government is committed to preserve, protect and promote secular values and provide equality of opportunity to all religious minorities. Mr Chidambaram said the Central government is working on a law for prevention, control and rehabilitation of the victims of the communal violence since December 2005 when the bill was referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee. <br/><br/>The Home Minister said people must be conscious of the fault-lines that have emerged in Indian society. <br/><br/>Referring to the demand of quota by different communities, he said reservation is perhaps the most effective instrument of affirmative action.<br/>