Affirming Government’s commitment to the interests of SC and ST community, the BJP Government on Tuesday said it had strengthened the SC/ST (prevention of Atrocities) Act by adding new offences to it and also arranged for the provision of witness protection in the Act.
While in Parliament Home Minister Rajanth Singh defended the Government, BJP president Amit Shah sought to attack the Opposition, particularly the Congress saying “microscopic minority of dejected and rejected political parties” made the people suffer and sought their apology to “Dalit sisters and brothers.”
In a series of tweets, Shah reached out to the community, which has been protesting a Supreme Court order on a law on atrocities against it, and sought to turn the tables on the Congress by raking up its treatment to Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar. He also blamed “vested interest groups” for spreading the panic on the issue of reservation for Dalits, saying it is done before every election and asserted that the Government will do everything to protect their rights.
Giving a suo motu statement in the lok Sabha amidst bedlam and slogan-shouting of protesting MPs, Rajnath said his Government was not responsible for the dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities ) Act.
He said Modi-Government had amended the SC/ST Act and added new offences in it and provided for witness protection provisions and increased the relief amount to the victim. Besides, provided in the Act that officials found responsible for the neglect of duties were legally acted against.
SC/ST Act, 1989 was amended recently to include new offences and to ensure speedy justice to victims. The amended law had come into effect from January 26, 2016.
Rajnath said rumours on account of the SC/ST Act were completely false and baseless and appealed all parties to help maintain peace in the country.
Asserting that the government is sensitive to the concerns of the backward communities, Home Minister Rajnath said it was not responsible for the dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Referring to the large scale violence during Monday’s Bharat Bandh, the home minister said eight people were killed — six in Madhya Pradesh and one each in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, during the bandh which also witnessed clashes between the police and the protesters.
“Through the House, I want to assure the people that there has been no dilution whatsoever by my Government, rather after coming to power and examining the SC/ST prevention Atrocities Act, we have taken a decision to strengthen it,” he said.
“I fully appreciate that there is widespread anger amongst the people following the Supreme Court order. I wish to inform the House that the Government of India was not party in that case. People have taken to the streets,” he said.
The minister said immediately after the March 20 judgement of the Supreme Court, a decision was taken by the government to file a review petition in the Supreme Court.
The Attorney General has made an appeal in the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing and the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the matter today itself.
“This shows the prompt action by the Government and does not leave any doubt regarding the intention of the government to protect the interest of the SC/ST,” he said.
law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also rejected as “unfounded” the opposition’s charge that the government delayed the filing of a review plea in the Supreme Court against its order on a law on atrocities against Dalits.
He stated that the court was closed for six days after the verdict was delivered on March 20. The review was filed yesterday.
“Where is the delayIJ And let me ask Rahul Gandhi that did he appeal for peace and clam yesterdayIJ” he said, targeting the Congress president.
“There is tension in the country and the Congress is trying to fuel it,” he said.