Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that the Narendra Modi government has made no change in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
He also asserted that Modi government was "committed to upholding the SCST (scheduled caste/scheduled Act."
"There can be no doubt over the Centre's intentions. Acting swift (on the issue), we have filed a petition in Supreme Court seeking review of its verdict on the SC/ST Act. In the past also, our government took several steps to protect the interest of SC/ST Act," he told the Lok Sabha, amid loud sloganeering from the Opposition. "
Singh was making a suo motu statement in the Lower House on the Tuesday's Bharat Bandh that witnessed large violence in many of the cities.
Various Dalit organisations, supported by most of the Opposition parties, had given a call for the nation-wide bandh against a recent judgement of the Supreme Court which which put a restriction on the immediate arrest of any person on the filing of a complaint under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Union home minister told the Lok Sabha that as many as eight persons were killed in various incidents of violence during the bandh which also witnessed clashes between the police and protestors.
"Through the House, I want to assure the people that there has been no dilution whatsoever by my government, rather after coming to power and examining the SC/ST prevention Atrocities Act, we have taken a decision to strengthen it," he told the Lok Sabha, amid din.
Singh also said there has been widespread "false and baseless rumours" with the issue of reservation.
"The government is fully committed to protect the interest of the SC/ST community. I fully appreciate that there is widespread anger amongst the people following the Supreme Court order. I wish to inform the House that the Government of India was not a party in that case," he said, making a fervent appeal for maintaining peace and harmony in the country.
After Rajnath's statement, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for the day to meet again on Wednesday as the Opposition refused to relent from creating a ruckus on various issues.
Mahajan also could not take up the notices for no-confidence motion given by various Opposition parties against Modi government for yet another day due to ruckus in the House.
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