As part of the National Resistance Day, called by various political parties and other organisations to protest against the recent Supreme Court judgement imposing conditions regarding implementation of Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, a demonstration was organised demanding the safeguarding of the Act here on Tuesday.
The demonstration was coordinated by the National Coalition for Strengthening SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The organisations demanded the inclusion of the Act under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution so that it can be prevented from such ‘dilution’ through judicial scrutiny.
Terming it as an unfortunate judgement that went against the principles of social justice and equality, leaders from the organisation, who spoke at the function, said that the real problem with the Act was lack of efficient implementation and not its misuse as concluded by the court.
Apart from inclusion of the Act under the Ninth Schedule, the charter of demands included the immediate enactment of a special legislation to safeguard the Act, formation of special courts for the Act in all districts as per the SC / ST (PoA) Act, formation of national and state-level commissions to ensure proper implementation of the Act, and taking action as per Section 4 of the Act against government employees who fail to implement the Act.
They also demanded the withdrawing of foisted cases against those who took part in protests in many parts of the country on April 2 against the judgement.
Functionaries and leaders from organisations like Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Tamil Puligal Katchi, People’s Watch, Evidence, Tamil Nadu Makkal Katchi, Dalit Liberation Movement and Republican Party of India (Athawale) spoke at the demonstration.