K'taka: 'Siddaramiah playing divide-and-rule politics'

TIPTUR: BJP president Amit Shah on Monday maintained that the Siddaramaiah government's move to accord separate religious minority status to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats was aimed at preventing BS Yeddyurappa from becoming Chief Minister.

"This Siddaramaiah government has brought this proposal, not because it has love for Lingayats, but to prevent Yeddyurappa from becoming Chief Minister," he said addressing a Coconut Growers Convention here, as he began his twoday tour of election-bound Karnataka.

"I want to tell Karnataka people that if BJP wins a majority, we will make Yeddyurappa Chief Minister," he added.

Yeddyurappa is considered a Lingayat strongman.

The state cabinet had recently decided to recommend to the Centre to accord religious minority status to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats, in a move seen as an attempt to chip away at the BJP'S strong Lingayat voter base. Shah said that the proposal, which was rejected by BJP president Amit Shah (R) pays his tribute to Kuvempu Smarak in Thirthahalli taluk of Shimoga district during his two-days Karnataka visit, ahead of State Assembly Elections on Monday. Also seen is Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar

the then Manmohan Singh government at the Centre in 2013, was only aimed at creating confusion among people.

He, however, believed that the people of the state would not be enticed by Siddaramaiah's "divide-and-rule

politics."

Congress president Rahul Gandhi should first point fingers at Siddaramaiah for dividing people before accusing BJP of it, Shah said.

He also likened Siddaramiah's divide-and-rule politics to that of the British.

"The Congress ship is sinking and to save it,the Congress is making its last efforts, and what it is doing? It is making efforts to divide people."

"The Congress Chief Minister is playing divide-and-rule politics of the British," he said.

Shah also criticised the Siddaramiah government for not bringing in the proposal earlier.

"The Siddaramaiah government has proposed to accord religion and minority status to Lingayats, but why did it not do it earlier? Because that time, there was no need for gaining votes," he said.

He also launched a scathing attack on the Siddaramaiah government for failing to prevent farmers' suicides in the state.

"In five years of Siddaramaiah's rule as many as 3,781 farmers committed suicides. I want to ask the government, who is responsible for these suicides?" he asked.

Shah said suicides in Congress-ruled states are always on the increase, whereas it dwindles in Bjp-ruled states like Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. "In BJPruled states farmers' suicides are nigh to nothing. Wherever the Congress rules, the suicides of farmers increases, but decreases in Bjp-ruled states."

"If you vote Yeddyurappa to become Chief Minister, I assure you farmers' suicides will come to a halt," he said. NEW DELHI: Union Social Justice Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot has written to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad favouring filing of a review plea against the Supreme Court's verdict on the SC/ST Act, while noting that there were concerns that the order will make the law "ineffective" and adversely impact the dispensation of justice to Dalits and tribals.

Seeking legal opinion on the issue, Gehlot, in the note to the law minister, said, "It is felt that the Supreme Court order may make the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act ineffective and adversely impact the dispensation of justice system. In my opinion it would be right to file a review petition against the verdict."

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) have also conveyed their views and demanded a review of the verdict, saying the original Act, as it existed before the SC verdict, should be restored.

The Supreme Court, on March 20, diluted stringent provisions mandating immediate arrest under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities (POA) Act. It took note of the rampant misuse of the stringent Act against government servants and held that arrest of a public servant can only be after approval of the appointing authority while that of a nonpublic servant after approval by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) which may be granted in appropriate cases if considered necessary for reasons recorded.

It also said that the reasons recorded must be scrutinised by the Magistrate for permitting further detention.

According to a senior ministry official, a large number of atrocities like rape, molestation, harassment and violence happen against people belonging to such communities and most of the victims are so poor that it will be really difficult for them to present their case along with proof to police authorities and secure justice.

Also, evidence can be destroyed during this period. Therefore, the Supreme Court order will only delay justice to such victims, the official said.

The Scheduled Castes (SCS) and the Scheduled Tribes (STS) Prevention of Atrocities (POA) Act, 1989 was amended recently to include new offences and to ensure speedy justice to victims.

The amended law had come into effect from January 26, 2016. NEW DELHI: The Lok Janshakti Party, an ally of the BJP, has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against its order on the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, party leader Chirag Paswan said on Monday.

The LJP, which draws its electoral base from Dalits in Bihar, has also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him that the government should file a review petition against the order which has made the act “toothless”.

“We are worried as the order has weakened the law which has been the main protector of Dalits. It is necessary to ensure that it remains strong. We have also demanded that the government should go to the apex court at the earliest seeking a review of its order,” he said. Paswan, who is chairperson of his party's parliamentary board, said the LJP has been receiving a number of memorandums from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes against the court's order.

The court had expressed concern over the misuse of the act and said that government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens too could be arrested only after an inquiry.