NEW DELHI: The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to introduce the Bill to reinstate the provisions to protect dalits from any sort of atrocities. Sources said the Bill will be passed during the ongoing session of parliament.
The decision was taken under the chairmanship of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi amid the deadline set by
dalit groups and BJP's allies to restore the provisions of the
SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. The PM told ministers that there will be no change in the original provisions, sources said.
The debate over dalits' protection started soon after the Supreme Court passed an order stating that arrests of accused under the law can happen only after proper investigation. The order had fuelled large scale protest by dalit organisations which alleged that the provisions to protect dalits were diluted.
The dalit organisations have threatened to hit the streets if their demand for the restoration of provisions is not met before August 9.
Last week, LJP chief
Ram Vilas Paswan and his son Chirag had maintained that the government would do the needful to avoid any protest.
A file photo of 'Bharat Bandh' against the Supreme Court ruling on the SC/ST Act.
