Maoists or Naxalites in tribal areas in Chhattisgarh will now also be tried under the sections of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (prevention of atrocity) Act 1989 also, for their brutal violent acts of terror.
A decision to this effect was taken on Friday here at a meeting of State-level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee presided over by Chief Minister Raman Singh. Singh, who is heading the BJP Government since Dec 2003, said, “If people of these sections are targeted in the violent acts of Naxalites, then along with other relevant sections, sections under SC/SC Atrocity Prevention Act will also be imposed on the Naxalites.”
He added that it will not only help the victims get justice, but they will also be entitled to the relief aid provisioned under this Act. The Chief Minister further said that necessary instructions in the context should be issued to all the police stations. It was informed in the meeting that on proposal of the State Government, establishment of five special courts in the State for redressal of cases under SC/ST Atrocity Prevention Act has been approved. These special courts will be started in Janjgir-Champa, Jashpur, Koriya, Raigarh and Korba districts soon, after which, the State will have total 11 special courts.
In the meeting, Raman Singh also issued instructions to suspend the Tehsildar of Pammgarh, against whom FIR has been lodged for objectionable use of banned words on the caste-certificate of a student. The Chief Minister said that the caste-based words that have been legally banned cannot be used in Government-related works. Meanwhile, Home, Jail and Cooperatives Minister Nankiram Kanwar, Higher Education and Water Resource Minister Ramvichaar Netam, SC/ST Development Minister Kedar Kashyap, Food and Civil Supply Minister Punnulal Mohile, Revenue Minister Dayal Das Baghel, Parliamentary Secretary Duo Mahesh Gagda and Siddthnath Paikra, State Scheduled Caste Commission Chairman Dr Krishnamoorthy Bandhi, Scheduled Caste Development Authority Deputy Chairman and MlA Domanlal Korsevada, MlA Sevakram Netam and Doojram Baudh, Chief Secretary of State Government Sunil Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of Panchayat and Rural Development Department Vivek Dhand, Additional Chief Secretary of Finance Department DS Mishra, Director General of Police Ramniwas, Principal Secretary of Home Department NK Oswal, Principal Secretary to Agriculture Department Ajay Singh, Principal Secretary to Health and Urban Administration MK Raut, Secretary SC/ST Development Manoj Kumar Pingua, Commissioner Tribal Development MK Paraste, Director, Public Prosecutions Rajkumar Dewangan, Director Public Relations OP Choudhary and other senior officials, were also present in the meeting.
In the meeting, the CM reviewed the bank loan approval cases under various loan schemes of the Government for providing self-employment opportunities to the unemployed youth belonging to Scheduled Caste category. It was also decided that State Government will reconsider about issuing of Government aid to those banks and financial organizations that revoke or refuse loans to the eligible applicants without any justification.
Chief Secretary Sunil Kumar said that State Government deposits large amounts of money in these banks and also provides subsidy to them. Hence, these financial organizations should not refuse to provide loans to the applicants. While reviewing the cases of fake caste certificates, the Chief Minister said that in the cases on which the courts have issued stay orders, Government's part should be presented even more effectively so that the stay orders can be cancelled. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also instructed the officials to ensure compliance of the simplified norms and expedite the process of caste certificate issuance. In the meeting, the Chief Minister also reviewed the proceedings of the meeting held earlier.
Officials concerned informed in the meeting that on proposal of State Government, establishment of five special courts in state for redressal of cases under SC/ST Atrocity Prevention Act has been approved. These special courts will be started in Janjgir-Champa, Jashpur, Koriya, Raigarh and Korba districts soon. Presently, Special Courts are operational in Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur, Sarguja, and Bastar districts.