‘Patience running out’, Paswan warns BJP

NEWDELHI: The original provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act must be restored through an executive order or ordinance and Supreme Court justice AK Goel, one of the two judges who delivered a recent judgment on the law, should be removed as chief of the national green tribunal, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan said on Friday.

The LJP, with six Lok Sabha MPs, is an ally of the ruling BJP at the Centre. Chirag, the son of Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, said concerns had arisen of late over Dalit issues and the “patience” of many LJP leaders was “running thin”.

He, however, stopped short of issuing a direct threat of withdrawal of support to the BJP and said, “We will cross the bridge when it comes.”

The LJP draws most of its support from certain Dalit communities of Bihar, and is asking for immediate restoration of the original provisions of the law that seeks to prevent atrocities against the SCs and STs.

The Supreme Court judgment of March 20 banned immediate arrest under the act.A group of Dalit outfits has given a nationwide bandh call on August 10, and Chirag feared there could be worse than a similar shutdown on April 2 that claimed 10 lives.

Another LJP MP Ram Chandra Paswan, who also heads the Dalit Sena, said his organisation would be forced to join the August 10 bandh if their demands were not met

Asked about the LJP mounting pressure over Dalit issues, BJP spokesman Sudhanshuu Trivedi said the Narendra Modi government was sensitive towards the concerns of its allies and had been working to address them.

To a question about a demand for the removal of NGT chairman AK Goel, Trivedi said the government must have taken a decision after considering all aspects but it was sensitive to the alliance’s concerns.

Goel was appointed NGT chief on July 6, and Chirag wrote to the PM saying Dalits saw his appointment as a reward for his judgment.

Chirag also applauded Modi government for strengthening the SC/St act, and said the opposition was creating an impression that Modi government was anti Dalit and all measures should be taken to counter it. He said the LJP strongly remains a part of the government as it makes it easier for his party to carry out its Dalit

agenda.