SC/ST Act ruling: No stay, but SC will reconsider order
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay it’s March 20 order diluting specific provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
It, however, will reconsider last month’s judgment at hearing after ten days and asked parties to file their written submissions within two days.
The NDA government had on Monday filed a petition seeking review of the apex court’s order banning automatic arrests and registration of criminal cases under the SC/ ST Act.
The Apex court said the judgment in no way dilutes any provision of the SC/ST Act or rules, asserting that the Act does not mandate immediate arrest on the filing of a complaint.
“We have not diluted any provision of SC/ST Act and only safeguarded the interest of innocents from being arrested. Provisions of the Act cannot be used to terrorise the innocents,” the court said.
That order had been the trigger for the violent Dalit protests that engulfed five states on Monday claiming 11 lives. Dalit groups said the order weakened a law that was meant for their protection.
The government has no plan to do away with quota policy for Dalits and tribes, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, Union home minister Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha that there had been no “dilution” in the government’s stand on the SC/ ST Act. “Rather, after coming to power and examining the SC/ ST Prevention Atrocities Act, we have decided to strengthen it,” he said, adding that the government was not a party to the case in which the top court delivered the March 20 order.
Opposition members shouted slogans and were on their feet in protest against the Supreme Court’s March 20 order diluting specific provisions of the Scheduled Castes
and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday said the Centre did not agree with the court’s conclusions.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "not uttering a word" on the alleged atrocities on Dalits and tribals and "dilution" of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
His remarks at a public meeting here on the fifth leg of his tour of the poll-bound Karnataka came against the backdrop of violence in northern parts of the country during yesterday's protests against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The protests during 'Bharat bandh' against the Supreme Court verdict on the issue claimed at least nine lives and left hundreds of persons injured.
"Rohit Vemula is murdered. Dalits are beaten up in Una (Gujarat) but the Prime Minister does not speak a word on it. Atrocities on Dalits and tribals are increasing and the SC/ ST act has been diluted. Modi prefers not to speak a word," he said.
Gandhi compared the status of SC/ST welfare in Karnataka with the Modi government's actions on the issue.
He claimed that more than half of the money released by the Modi government across the country for SC/ST welfare was being spent by Karnataka itself on the Dalits and tribals.
He also attacked Modi on the CBSE question papers leak and on the "leak" of assembly election date for Karnataka, saying Modi was silent on these issues too.
Lacing his remarks with sarcasm, Gandhi said the prime minister wrote a book (Exam Warriors) telling children how to face the exam and also gave a lecture for two hours on how to prepare for exams.
He said children took the advice seriously and prepared for the exam with the help of their parents but when they went to appear for the exam, they were told that the exams were cancelled as the question paper was leaked.
"Modi may have failed in plugging the question paper leak but he may again lecture children how to prepare for exams and will tell them about the dos and don'ts during exam," said Gandhi.
On the one side, question papers are leaked, while on the other election dates are also leaked, Gandhi quipped.
"It seems the RSS has taught Modi that he should stress more on giving lectures. The RSS has taught him to stand, hold stick, wear knickers and speak lies. I think the prime minister is now realising that the nation cannot be run with hatred, lathi, speeches and false promises", he said.
He took a jibe at Modi for the India-china standoff at Doklam despite "swinging" with China president Xi Jinping.
"Modi and China president swung together. Later, the president responded by saying 'I enjoyed the swing and now I am coming to Doklam'.
"Chinese are building roads and airports in Doklam, but Modi is still swinging. The '56inch' chest could not speak a word when China entered Doklam," said Gandhi.
He took potshots at BJP state unit chief B S Yeddy-