New Delhi [India]: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh on Tuesday demanded Parliament’s intervention on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes ((Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Sanjay Singh wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to discuss the Act in both the Houses of the Parliament and decide to keep its provisions intact.
“The SCs and the STs had got an effective weapon for security in the form of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which will become weak after the Honourable Supreme Court’s decision. It is the duty of the Parliament and government to protect a law that has been enacted by the parliament. Hence, the government should hold a discussion in both the Houses of the Parliament and decide to keep provisions of the SC/ST Act intact,” Singh wrote.
He also highlighted the death of at least 11 persons during the Bharat Bandh called by the Dalit organisations on Monday to oppose the ‘dilution’ of the SC/ST Act.
The AAP leader also alleged that Dalits were targeted in many Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states.
On March 20, the apex court, in a bid to check misuse of the SC/ST Act, ruled that preliminary enquiry in a case under the Atrocities Act would be done by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to ensure the allegations are not frivolous, and to avoid the false implication of an innocent.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court refused to stay refused to stay its order on SC/ST Act.
The court was hearing Central Government’s review petition on Schedule Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The apex court also asked all parties to submit detailed replies within two days. The matter will be heard after 10 days. (ANI)