Opposition leaders meet President on SC/ST Act issue

March 28, 2018 20:24

Leaders of various opposition parties led by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today raised their concerns on dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act with President Ram Nath Kovind and sought his intervention, saying the apex court order had created "a feeling of insecurity among the Dalits".

"We met the President on the dilution of the SC/ST Act... The atrocities (on dalits and tribals) are increasing and the Act is being diluted. The President was quite positive and supportive," Gandhi told reporters after he along with leaders of BSP, NCP, CPI-M, SP, DMK and other parties handed over a memorandum to Kovind this evening.

Asked if the President had given them any assurance, Gandhi said, "He will assess and will take relevant action."

BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra said the delegation told the president that the issue was not represented effectively by the government and that is why this situation had arisen.

"We told the president that effective representation was not done in the issue and have made a demand that a review petition be filed in the apex court," said Misra.

The memorandum said "there is a great unease and a feeling of insecurity amongst the members of Dalit community and other oppressed classes" after the judgment and "if immediate steps are not taken by the government, then we are afraid, this may turn into something not less than a national disaster".

-- PTI

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