Changes in SC/ST Act trigger protests in Kangra

Tribune reporters

Dharamsala, October 6

Residents, members of the Bar Association, traders and other professionals took out a protest march today against the amendments made to the SC/ST Act by the NDA government.

The protesters alleged that the Supreme Court had done away with the immediate arrest under the Act as it had been misused.

Tek Chand Rana, former president of the Dharamsala Bar Association, said government had done injustice with higher castes. The discrimination against the SC/STs was a thing of past. The Act had created an elite class that was taking all benefits whereas the poor SC/STs were deprived of the benefits.

Earlier, various organisations such as the Rajput Sabha of Kangra had flayed the NDA government for amendments to the Act.

Shopkeepers of the Kotwali market also kept their shutters down as a protest against the amendments.

Manch takes out protest march

Nurpur: Under the banner of the Swaran Samaj Manch, people today took out a protest march from Chogan to Mini Secretariat against the ST/SC Act. Shopkeepers also closed their shops in support of the manch. The activists holding placards against the ST/SC Act also raised slogans against political parties supporting it.The manch also submitted a memorandum to the President Ram Nath Kovind through the SDM, demanding immediate revocation of the Act and implement the apex court order.

In the memorandum, the manch warned that all general category people would boycott the Lok Sabha elections next year if the Act was not revoked.

It alleged that the Act would adversely affect the rights of the Swaran Samaj. A rally was addressed by Col NS Pathania (retd), coordinator of the manch. In Jawali, shopkeepers also observed bandh for three hours and local unit of the Swaran Samaj Manch took out a protest march from Maharana Pratap Bhawav to the Mini Secretariat.