TN activists urge CM Stalin to reform monitoring system under SC/ST Act

Calling for reforms in the State Vigilance and Monitoring Committee (SVMC) under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and for a meeting to be held on the same in July, several anti-caste and human rights activists have written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who is also the SVMC chairperson.

In a letter to the CM on Monday, Madurai-based NGO Witness for Justice pointed out several incidents of caste atrocities in the state and the number of cases registered under the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). As per NCRB data, 1,362 cases were reported in 2017, 1,413 in 2018, and 1,114 cases in 2019. Witness for Justice is a voluntary organisation that actively works among Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities in the state. Volunteers help people from vulnerable communities get access to legal assistance and address caste-based discrimination and atrocities.

Speaking to TNM, I Pandiyan, advocate and executive director of Witness for Justice, said, “Caste-based atrocities have only surged during the pandemic induced lockdown. It is high time the SVMC is reformed and a meeting held in July as per schedule. We urge immediate action from the CM in this regard.”

“Despite having provisions related to prevention of caste atrocities against SC and ST communities, the state government authorities in the past did not make necessary administrative arrangements to ensure effective implementation of the Act, which has resulted in the growing number of caste atrocities and least conviction rate under the SC/ST Act 2015,” Pandiyan added.

Some of the pressing demands placed before CM Stalin are as follows:

>> Reforming SVMC under Rule 16 of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015 and holding a meeting in July, which will ensure effective implementation of SC/ST PoA Act thus preventing caste atrocities.

>> Formation of state-level commission for SCs under article 338 of the Constitution, which already exists in 12 states including Kerala, Punjab and Karnataka.

>> Take necessary steps to enact state legislation to ensure non-lapsable and non-divertible financial resources under Special Component Plan (SCP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) and allocation of a budget in proportion to the population of the members of SC/ST and formulate development schemes.

>> Chief Minister directs the Director General of Police (DGP) to strengthen the robust functions of the SC/ST Protection Cell and submit his monthly report on or before 20th of every month to the CM under Rule 8.

Additional recommendations in the letter include training officers and NGOs in conducting awareness camps to provide necessary financial and other assistance to prevent caste atrocities; nomination of nodal officer as per Rule 9 of PoA Act; appointment of special officer as per Rule 10 of PoA Act; and formation of SC/ST protection cell responsible for conducting surveys in caste sensitive locations.