Ex-Minister Ravela To Protest On July 23

Guntur: Expressing his displeasure over the Supreme Court's judgment in a case related to SC, ST Atrocities Act y case, former minister in Andhra Pradesh government Ravela Kishore Babu has decided to sit-in on a protest on July 23. Speaking to media here today, he said the Supreme Court's judgement has diluted the SC, ST Act and has made it powerless.

The former minister expressed concern over growing number of attacks on Dalits in the state. Similarly, tribal communities are a worried lot in the state and must be assured of safety and security, he said. Ravela Kishore Babu demanded that the government bring resolutions in the next parliamentary session that will enable safeguarding the interests of SCs and STs. In order to pressurise the Central government to act accordingly, the former minister had decided to sit-in for a protest, he added.

Also Read: SC Refuses To Stay Order On Sc/ST Act

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court judgment, banning immediate arrest of a person accused of insulting or injuring a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe member, is meant to protect innocents from arbitrary arrest and not an affront to Dalit rights.

Justice Goel, who authored the verdict, said the judgment, in fact, fortified the Dalit protection law - the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989.

“Our judgment implements what is said in the Constitution. We are conscious of the rights of the underprivileged and place them at the highest pedestal... but at the same time, an innocent person cannot be falsely implicated and arrested without proper verification. We have not stopped the implementation of the Act. Does the Act mandate the arrest of innocent persons? Our judgment is not against the Act,” Justice Goel said. He called the judgement a ‘balance’ between Dalit rights and right of an innocent against arrest in a false case.