Kushwaha writes to Modi for review plea against SC order on SC/ST Act

Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party chief Upendra Kushwaha today joined other BJP allies in asking the government to file a review plea in the Supreme Court against its order diluting a law on atrocities against dalits and tribals.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the order will make it difficult for people from these communities to get justice and added that it has caused a lot of anger and discontent among them.

Kushwaha told Modi that the government should file a review plea and asked him to call an all-party meeting for a political solution to the issue as well.

"We hope that you will take immediate steps to provide justice to SC and ST communities," he said.

The apex court order has weakened the law and made it ineffective to some extent, he said.

BJP allies such as the LJP, which filed a review plea in the Supreme Court yesterday, have also criticised the order. A number of BJP's dalit leaders too have spoken in favour of filing a review plea.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court took note of the rampant misuse of the stringent Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against government servants and held that there shall be no immediate arrest on any complaint filed under the law.

Before arresting a public servant under the Act, a preliminary probe by an officer not below the rank of deputy superintendent is a must, the court said.