Passage of Dalit law in Parl befitting reply to Oppn: Paswan

Lok Janshakti Party president Ram Vilas Paswan today said the passage of a bill to strengthen a law on atrocities against Dalits and tribals is a befitting reply to the Opposition, which had accused the Modi government of being "anti-Dalit".

Parliament today passed a bill to overturn a Supreme Court order introducing certain safeguards against arrest under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocity) Act, with the Rajya Sabha unanimously adopting the legislation.

"We are glad that the SC/ST Bill was passed by both the Houses without any amendment in the original Act. This is a befitting reply to the opposition parties which called the NDA Government as anti-Dalit," Paswan, who is also a Union Minister, said in a tweet.

Referring to other major demands of Dalit groups, he said the government is committed to providing reservation in promotions and to rollback the order passed by the UGC, which adversely affects the quota for Dalits and tribals.

Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the LJP will organise a thanks-giving function to honour him August 11 and hold another ceremony in Patna on August 12.

Paswan's LJP is a BJP ally and he has been a key voice within the government on Dalit issues.