THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader A. K. Antony has demanded effective intervention against the Supreme Court diluting the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, popularly known as the SC/ST Act. Inaugurating "the tribal solidarity meet" on the Indira Bhavan premises here on Monday, he hit hard against the BJP government for its inaction and the LDF government for preventive custody of Dalit leaders ahead of Monday's hartal. He said in the BJP-ruled states, Dalits get a "brutal deal".
Mr Antony added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have intervened on the same day when the Supreme Court order came. "Police should release the arrested leaders at the earliest," he said, referring to the arrest of Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha leader M. Geethanandan.
On Sunday, Geethanandan had said the activists could torch KSRTC buses if the management decides to operate its services. He later retracted the controversial statement. On Monday after the arrest, he said the police was biased against Dalits and the black people. In solidarity with them, Mr Antony rode pillion on his personal security's bullet from his home at Eswara Vilasam Road to Indira Bhavan and back.
