Calling on the need to revisit the laws and provisions of the Constitution, Minister of State for Human Resource Development (MHRD) Satya Pal Singh said that the minority community enjoyed more rights, yet they feel cheated. He was speaking at Delhi University Saturday – on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti – on the “Rule of Law and role of B R Ambedkar in nation building”.
“(Despite) the kind of rights that have been given to minorities in the Constitution, they still feel cheated. They have the right to run their institutes, religious institutions, but the majority does not have (this). Law is equal to all,” he said.
Stating that a person stealing Rs 100 and another stealing Rs 100 crore will get the same punishment, he said, “Does it give justice to society? I say it does not. Therefore, there is a need to amend laws.” He also said that the rule of law had not been implemented in true spirit, which has resulted in a lot of discrimination. “You want to have a strong democratic country, where everyone gets educated. We have the law – Right to Education (Act). But in the last eight years, have we been able to implement it? We have not. Millions don’t go to school because the law does not have teeth,” he said.
As the minister gave his lecture inside the Vice Regal lodge, students and teachers protested against the government’s 70:30 funding policy and the changes in reservation.