Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment chaired the twenty-fourth meeting of the committee to review the protection of civil rights act, 1955 and scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes act, 1989 in states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. Jual Oram, Minister for Tribal Affairs, Ramdas Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, ministers and principal secretaries of social justice of state governments participated in the meeting.
Addressing the occasion, Thaawar Chand Gehlot expressed his deep concern on the growing cases of atrocities against SCs and STs in many states and asked them to contain it in an effective manner. He said that the establishment of exclusive special courts and specification of special public prosecutors should be accorded high priority by all state governments. He emphasised on the regular conduct of meetings of state and district level vigilance and monitoring committees to review the implementation because these committees are required to review relief and rehabilitation facilities provided to the victims. He was of the opinion that there should be timely completion of investigation and filing of charge sheet.