Dalit MLAs slam govt for SC/ST Act lapse
2 min readPatna: Dalit MLAs cutting across party lines criticised the government on Monday on the Arvind Paswan murder case of 2008 in which the police had failed to enforce SC/ST atrocities Act.
Raising the question, Upendra Paswan of the RJD alleged that because the police did not make use of the Act in the chargesheet, the slain man’s son was unable to get a government job. Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav conceded the police had erred and said Arvin’s son would be given a government job.
But the minister’s reply angered Dalit MLAs. Lallan Paswan of the RLSP spoke about the recent decision of the Supreme Court, diluting the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by saying competent authorities would have to give their sanction before public servants and other citizens can be arrested under the law.
“I hail your recent article in which you have revolted against the judiciary,” Lallan told Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary. But the Speaker was quick to tell Lallan that he had not revolted against the judiciary. “If you read my article properly you will realise I had written about the limitations in our Constitution,” the Speaker said.
Shyam Rajak of the JDU asked if the apex court’s decision will adversely affect the Arvind Paswan murder case. The Speaker intervened to say that the court’s decision does not hold retrospective effect.
Another JDU Dalit MLA, Ratneshwar Sada, asked if action would be taken against the police officer who did not apply the Act in the case. The minister assured him action would be taken after a probe was conducted. But when Shyam Rajak demanded immediate action, the minister shot back saying “You have been a minister and know that action is taken only after a probe has been conducted.”
By then the RJD MLAs had trouped inside the Well of the House shouting slogans against the government and the Speaker had to adjourn the House.
Earlier, in response to a question by Tarkishore Prasad of the BJP, minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav had said that directives have been issued to all districts saying a helipad will come up in the police line. The BJP MLA wanted the government to make the airstrip in Katihar an airport. But the minister said the Katihar aristrip’s length was way too small at just 2,000 feet. He said there was a proposal to build an airport at Purnea.
RJD MLA Mohammad Nemutullah wanted the government to allow the state minority finance corporation to give student credit card to students belonging to the minority community. The government said the corporation job was to give loans to unemployed youths of the community to start their own business while the students’ credit card scheme falls under the education department and soon a separate finance corporation will be formed for it.
Courtesy: The Telegraph
