Kerala Assembly adopts resolution on SC/ST Act

The Kerala Assembly today unanimously adopted a resolution urging the BJP-led NDA government to frame adequate legislation to overcome the 'drawbacks' of the recent Supreme Court order allegedly diluting the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Minister for Law and Welfare of SC/ST, A K Balan moved the resolution, stating that the apex court verdict had triggered serious apprehensions among Dalits in the country.

The state government had already conveyed its concern and strong reservation in this regard to union social justice minister Thaawarchand Gehlot and tribal affairs minister Jual Oram, it said.

The BJP-led governments in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra were dealing with the Dalit protests against the verdict "very cruelly", the resolution stated.

The approach of dealing the protesters with gun without finding solution for the issue cannot be justified, it said.

"Besides deploring the loss of lives during the agitations, this Assembly also appeals to the Centre to take legal steps and make necessary legislation to overcome the drawbacks of theverdict," it said.

Protests by Dalits against the softening of the provisions of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the Supreme Court had triggered large-scale violence in different parts of the country since last two days.

The Supreme Court had on March 20 pronounced a verdict revising certain provisions in the SC/ST Act, which included preventing arbitrary arrests under the Act.