Mayawati had called for dilution of SC/ST Act when she was CM: Reports

BSP leader Mayawati has been a vocal supporter of the dilution of the SC/ST Act, with her government issuing at least two orders highlighting that the Act was being misused to implicate innocents, the Times of India reported. 

At the time of Mayawati’s regimen as Uttar Pradesh CM, the two orders specified that action should not be initiated merely on the basis of complaint but arrests should be done after the accused is found prima facie guilty in the initial probe.

A New Indian Express report said the first letter, dated May 20, 2007 dealt at length with the issue of police complaints under the SC/ST Atrocities Act. It underlined that only serious offences like murder and rape etc should be registered under the SC/ST Act while the less serious offences related to scheduled castes and tribes should be done away with under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Ironically, Mayawati was one of the first people to support the Dalit protests on Monday. Several Dalit Groups claimed that the march across the country to halt everyday life, was due to the Supreme Court hearing that sought to dilute the act for reasons similar to Mayawati’s demands.

She, however, condemned the violence taking place during the protest and said that strict action should be taken against the one indulged in it.

"I support the protest against the SC/ST Act. I have got to know that some people are spreading violence during the protests, I strongly condemn it. Our party is not behind the violence during the protests," She said while interacting with media.

On March 20, the apex court had introduced the provision of anticipatory bail in the act while directing that there would be no automatic arrest on any complaint filed under the law.