Protests in region against order on SC/ST Act

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Jammu, April 2

The Jammu and Kashmir Reserved Categories Empowerment Alliance on Monday protested in favour of the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call over the ‘dilution’ of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989.

A large number of socio-religious groups protested in Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Poonch and the Chenab valley pressing for a parliamentary resolution to counter the effect of the Supreme Court’s judgment due to which the Act stood diluted.

Sham Bassan, president of the Dalit Chetna Manch, said the Act was framed by the Centre in 1989 to give protection to downtrodden sections of society against the alleged atrocities meted out to them. He said the Centre had failed to protect the basic essence of the Act in the SC which gave its judgment on March 20.

NC activists hold march

The National Conference SC/ST cell staged a protest at the Raghunath Mandir chowk here on Monday against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. The protesters assailed the BJP-led government at the Centre for not defending the law during the judicial process.

Led by Babu Ram Pal, chairperson of the cell, the protesters took out a march from party’s provincial headquarters at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan to Raghunath Mandir Chowk and reiterated their demand for submission of a forceful counter in defence of the Act.