With 23,861 cases of atrocities against SCs and STs during 2013-15, BJP-ruled Rajasthan has topped the list among States reporting such crimes followed by poll-bound Uttar Pradesh (23,556) and Bihar (21,061 cases), as per the latest Government data.
Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil and Gujarat respectively reported 14,016, 9,054, 8,084, 7,565, 6,546, 5,131 and 3,969 such crimes registered under the amended Prevention of Atrocities (PoA) Act.
These data were presented at a meeting of a committee to review the implementation of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 held here on Monday.
The conviction rate has been poor. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment observed that during 2013-15, only 43.3 per cent of the total cases registered (13,8077) were disposed of by courts and 25.7 per cent of total cases disposed of by courts (59,779), ended in conviction.
"In certain States, i.e. Andhra Pradesh (6.3 per cent), Gujarat (3.1 per cent), Karnataka (3.5 per cent), Maharashtra (7.6 per cent), Odisha (4.3 per cent), Tamil Nadu (7.5 per cent), Telangana (7.5 per cent) and West Bengal (3 per cent), the conviction rate was in single digit," the meeting noted.
The committee, headed by Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot, sought action taken report from State Governments to improve the disposal and conviction rates in such cases.
During the meeting, Gehlot pointed out that only 14 States have set up exclusive special courts for speedy trial of cases registered under the PoA Act. However, he rued there was no information about formation of such courts by 22 states and Union Territories including Delhi, Punjab, Jharkhand, Haryana, Goa, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam etc and urged them to do the needful.
Section 14 of the amended PoA Act provides for establishing of exclusive special courts for one or more districts and where number of cases under this Act is less, specification of Court of Session as a Special Court, with powers to take direct cognisance of the offences under the PoA Act.
The Committee also wanted to know if the relief amount, that has been raised and made between Rs 85,000 to Rs 8,25,000 depending upon the nature of offence, is being given within seven days to the concerned persons as specified in the PoA Rules amended on April 14, 2016.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale felt that the cases could be brought down if inter-caste marriages and jobs or land is offered to couples who tie nots breaking the caste barrier.
"State Government's should give cash reward of Rs 25 crore to the district which records highest number of inter-caste marriages or make a provision to either give a job or five acre of land to such couple in order to promote inter-caste marriage which in turn will help in combating incidents of atrocities," he said.
In his recommendations at the meeting, the Minister also talked about setting up of Helplines at the State and district level and forming a designated team of policemen, led by a sub-inspector in each police station to deal with complaints of atrocities.
Athwale also stressed that periodic meetings of the High Power State level Vigilance and Monitoring Committees under the chairpersonship of Chief Minister should be held in the states to ensure that the Act is implemented.