Nine people killed in protests against diluting SC/ ST Atrocities Act

Many Dalit organisations had called a nationwide shutdown today, 2.4.2018, protesting against a Supreme Court order on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The protestsby thousands of Dalits who marched into the public spaces,took a violent turn in many states, especially Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Odisha, leaving nine dead and many injured.

How the Supreme court is trying to dilute the law

The top court’s judgement on March 20 protects a public servant from being arrested under the SC/ST Act without a preliminary inquiry. The court had said the move was aimed at curbing alleged misuse of the law. As per the order, no public servant can be taken into custody until an officer, not below the rank of deputy superintendent, conducts a preliminary inquiry. The bench of Justices Adarsh Goel and UU Lalit also said a public servant can be arrested only after the authority that appointed him approves it.

The violent turn to the Bharat bandh

Nine people lost their lives and thousands were detained in the bandh today. Six of the deaths took place in Madhya Pradesh, in Morena, Gwalior and Bhind districts. Another person was killed in Rajasthan’s Alwar city after the police opened fire on protestors pelting stones. Two protestors died in Uttar Pradesh.

The government was forced to file a review petition today.