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The Lok Sabha passed the bill on August 2 . On Monday, the Lok Sabha cleared a separate bill to restore the original provisions of the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Supreme Court had in March this year struck down provisions relating to immediate arrest and registration of first information reports (FIRS) under the law without a preliminary inquiry. Modi asked BJP MPS to observe a “social harmony” fortnight from August 15 to 30 to mark the passage of the laws.

He added that every BJP unit would observe a “social harmony festival” between August 1 and 9 annually from next year to commemorate the anniversary of the passage of the milestone laws.

“This session should be dedicated for social harmony,” Modi said at the weekly meeting of the BJP parliamentary party. “We have been able to deliver justice without affecting the interests of other social groups.”

Analysts see the passage of the two laws as a clever move, though it would take time to ascertain its electoral impact. The passage of the NCBC laws is seen as a way to address concerns of the backward classes, many of which were worried about the restoration of the original provisions of the SC/ST law.

Badri Narayan, academic at the Allahabad-based GB Pant Institute for Social Sciences, said, “The government’s move to restore the provisions of the atrocities act may somewhat reduce the Dalit anger that we witnessed in protests after the court diluted the law. It will also soften the community’s attitude towards the BJP.” On the bill to grant constitutional status to the NCBC, Narayan said, “OBCS are a diverse group with competing ambitions. It may not have a homogeneous impact. But this is important signalling to the com-