INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
is a need to overturn the Supreme Court order laying down fresh guidelines on arrest of those accused of committing atrocities against SC
and ST communities, the government feels, and bringing an ordinance to restore the original provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act is one of the options being considered.Sources aware of deliberations within the government at different levels say
promulgating an ordinance to restore the original provisions would help calm tempers.Introducing a bill in the Monsoon session of Parliament
slated for July to amend the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 to overturn the SC order is the
second option before the government, the sources said."If an ordinance is issued, it too will have to be converted into a bill and passed by
The result of the two exercises is the same -- to restore the original provisions
But the ordinance has the benefit of giving instant results
It will help calm tempers immediately," a senior functionary said.Dalit groups had organised protests across the country on April 2 against
the alleged dilution of the Act through the March 20 verdict of the Supreme Court
The protests had turned violent at several places which left several people dead.Opposition parties also accused the government of failing
to protect Dalit rights.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted his government will not let the law to prevent atrocities on SCs and
STs to be diluted."I want to assure the nation that the law which has been made stringent by us will not allowed to be affected (by the SC
order)," he had said.But the sources said no decision has been taken so far and much would depend on the way the hearing on a review
petition filed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in the top court progresses.They said since review pleas may not bear
immediate results and the Supreme Court decision could not be favourable, the government will have to firm up its stand on future course of
action.The top court had laid down new guidelines for police officers on how to ensure that innocent people, especially public officials,
are protected from false complaints under the act.In a written submission filed before the top court on Friday, the Centre said the verdict
on the SC/ST Act has "diluted" its stringent provisions, resulting in "great damage" to the country by causing anger and a sense of
disharmony among the people.Observing that the court had dealt with an issue of a "very sensitive nature", the submission said the verdict
has caused "commotion, anger, unease and a sense of disharmony" in the country.It dubbed the entire judgement as "vitiated" as it proceeded
on the basis that the top court can legislate a law despite having no such power.The stand of the government came a week after the top court
refused to keep in abeyance its verdict, saying those agitating against its order putting in place certain safeguards on arrests under the
1989 Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, may not have read the judgement or could have been misled by "vested
interests".The written submissions filed by Attorney General K K Venugopal said "this judgement has diluted, for the reasons stated, the
provisions of the Atrocities Act read with the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, resulting in great damage to the country".
