N Chandrababu Naidu writes to President, PM on SC/ST Act

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ramnath Kovind to instruct authorities concerned to seek a review of the judgement on the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

In two separate letters addressed to the PM and President on Monday night, the CM felt that the ruling of the Apex Court weakens the spirit and protective nature of the Act and makes SCs and STs highly vulnerable to atrocities. 

Mr Naidu observed that his government has always been in the forefront in the welfare and development of the SCs and STs, and in taking steps for their protection. The judgement also has triggered protests from various sections of society, social activists and political parties in Andhra Pradesh, the CM explained in his letters addressed to Mr Kovind and Mr Modi.

The purpose of the Act, 1989 read with the amended Act 2015, is to protect the marginalised communities against discrimination and atrocities, the CM said and added that in this context the said judge ment of the Supreme Court of India has made the Act less efficacious. Citing the Supreme Court’s judgement, in the case of Dr Subhash Kasinath Mahajan Vs the State of Maharahstra, the CM has appealed to both PM and President to instruct the concerned for seeking the review of the judgment for th protection of the communities.

Mr Naidu also felt that despite the several progressive measures taken up by the governments of the day, the harsh inescapable reality today is that the members of SCs and STs still continue to be victims of the abhorrent practice of untouchability and caste based discrimination.