Congress accuses NDA govt of not being pro Dalit

Congress leader Kumari Selja on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government of not being pro Dalit.

Selja alleged that every 15 minutes, a crime is committed against Dalits and atrocities against them have been rising across the country especially in the BJP ruled states.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, Kumari Selja said, "Crimes and atrocities against Dalits are rapidly increasing across the country. Crime against Dalits takes place every 15 minutes."

Mentioning about the rise in the attacks against Dalits, she said, "Highest crime rates against Dalits are in BJP ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Goa, Bihar and Gujarat. Even on the smallest pretext that a man cannot have moustache, atrocities are being committed against Dalits."

The Congress leader also demanded the bill to be brought under the Ninth Schedule.

Meanwhile, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Ram Vilas Paswan attacked the opposition and said that the passage of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Amendment Bill is a slap on the face of those who called NDA government as anti-Dalit.

In an interview to ANI, Paswan said, "Lok Janshakti Party will rally across the country and expose Congress who ruled for 55 years but did nothing. It's a slap on the face of those who call NDA and Modi government as anti-dalit."

The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill 2018, which had got the nod of the Lok Sabha on August 6, was passed by the Rajya Sabha today.

The SC/ST Act protects the marginalised communities against discrimination and atrocities.

Even after the bill was passed in the Lower House on Monday, the Congress had alleged that the government has now passed the bill thinking about next year's Lok Sabha elections.

The Apex Court, in its March 20 ruling, had barred immediate arrests in cases registered under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. Later, the Centre filed a review petition against the ruling, which went in vain as the top court refused to stay its order and asked all parties to submit detailed replies.