Protesters rally in Noida, hand over memo to top babu

Noida, Sept. 6: Scores of people Thursday protested amendments in the SC/ ST ( Prevention of Atrocities) Act and carried out a march demanding changes in the legislation. The protestors, including representatives of some social and industry bodies, also handed over a memorandum of their demands to District Magistrate Brajesh Narayan Singh.

The march began from the Noida Stadium with protestors, some of them sporting black bands on their arms, moved chanting slogans. The march culminated at the camp office of the district magistrate in Sector 27, amid beefed up security in the area.

The participants in the march included people from the Noida Lok Manch, the Noida Entrepreneurs Association ( NEA), the Brahman Samaj Seva Samiti, the Agarwal Mitra Mandal besides representatives of trade unions and resident welfare associations ( RWAs).

“The new law is being openly misused. Point in case is the episode of a retired Army colonel, where the misuse of law was evident and it is intolerable. The government should ensure changes in the law so that a majority of population is not victimised,” the memorandum stated.

They demanded there should not be any arrest without a prior probe in any case related to the Act. In case the accusation is found false, legal proceedings must be initiated against the complainant, it said. The groups said they also opposed the reservation system on grounds of caste and religion and batted for a quota system based on economic status.

“We hope and request that keeping in view the concerns you will take an appropriate action and not let the majority population become helpless which otherwise would be left to take some moves which might be detrimental to the law and order situation in the region,” the memorandum stated.

Some organisations had given a call for ‘ Bharat bandh’ Thursday against the SC/ ST Amendment Bill passed in Parliament last month.

“The other community can get you jailed anytime and this march is to protest that. We want to tell the government that please follow the guidelines of the apex court. In the 2014 general election, it was our votes that brought you to power at the Centre but if you don’t reconsider this, you won’t remain in power in the 2019”, the president of Noida Entrepreneu- rs Association said.