Congress against dilution of SC/ST Act

New Delhi, March 21: The Congress on Wednesday said it was against dilution of any provisions in the SC/ST Act and asked the Modi government to amend law or file a review petition in view of the Supreme Court order that said arrest of an accused under the Act is not mandatory. A day after the court judgment that recourse to coercive action under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act would be only after prelimiry inquiry and sanction by the competent authority, the Congress accused the government of not fighting the case properly.

Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, And Sharma, Jyotiradtiya Scindia, Kumari Selja, Raj Babbar and Randeep Singh Surjewala held a joint press conference and accused the government of having an “anti-Dalit mindset” and being “silent” on the issue. Surjewala said Congress President Rahul Gandhi has also expressed his concern over dilution of the provisions of the Act. “The dilution of the Act is not acceptable to the Congress. The government should rectify its deliberate mistake. It should bring an amendment in Parliament or file a review petition. The conspiracy of the Modi government to dilute rights of Dalits is not acceptable to Congress,” he said. The Congress leader alleged that there has been an increase in crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under the Bharatiya Jata Party government and schemes for welfare of weaker sections had been curtailed. (IANS)

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