Rahul Gandhi lends his weight of support to Bharat Bandh.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday hailed the protest by Dalit organisations who have called a Bharat Bandh to protest against dilution of the SC/ST prevention of atrocities act. Seeking to blame the Centre for failing to defend the act in Supreme Court, Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted,
This loosely translates to: " Keeping the Dalits at the bottom strata of the Indian society is in the RSS / BJP's DNA. Those who challenge this thinking, they suppress by violence. Thousands of Dalit brothers and sisters are now on the streets demanding protection of their rights from the Modi government.We salute them".
The government has decided to file a review petition in Supreme Court regarding their verdict on the SC/ST protection act. The Congress Party on Monday reiterated that the Centre did not present the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Protection Act properly before the Supreme Court.
"Of course a review petition on SC/ST protection act should be filed and its the right of the Government, it's a legal procedure. The basic question is as to why they were unable to present the case properly before Supreme Court and lost, inquiry needed," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told ANI. The Congress leader further said that there has been an increase in atrocities against Dalits in last three years.
"In last three years, we have witnessed unprecedented atrocities and inactions against Dalits. Two days ago I came across the astonishing news of Baba Saheb Ambedkar's statue being damaged. Every other day we come across such news, I think this an ambience for which the government has to answer," Singhvi added. Meanwhile, several parts of the country are witnessing a shutdown and protests against the Supreme Court's ruling on the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Protection Act.
Amidst the ongoing protests against the Supreme Court's ruling on the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Protection Act, protesters on Monday disrupted rail traffic in Odisha's Sambalpur. Violence has been reported from Agra and Mewat of Uttar Pradesh. Situation is largely peaceful in Delhi, Mumbai and other major cities.Various Dalit organisations called for a nationwide shutdown to protest against the amendments under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989.
With ANI inputs
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