'Running out of patience; agitation if SC/ST Act not restored' : Lok Janshakti Party(LJP)

New Delhi, July 27: Declaring that it was “running out of patience”, NDA constituent Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on Friday warned of an agitation if an ordinance to strengthen the SC-ST Act was not promulgated and the Chairman of the National Green Tribunal was not removed by August 9.

Addressing a press conference, Chirag Paswan, party MP and son of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, said people from the SC and ST communities were feeling betrayed as the BJP-led NDA government had not issued an ordinance “as yet” to overturn the Supreme Court’s March 20 order that “diluted” the original SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and on top of that appointed Justice A.K Goel, “who ruled against the Act”, as NGT Chairman. “We have been asking the government to restore the provisions of the Act as soon as possible as people are sad and disappointed with the SC order”, Paswan said.

The Chairman of the LJP Parliamentary Board demanded the introduction of reservation in private sector jobs and placing reservation in the 9th schedule of the Constitution to counter the Opposition charge that the government was bent on ending quotas in education and government service. He said the party had faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi but expressed concern if the government was listening to the appeals and demands made by the party. (IANS)