New Delhi: Dalit organisations across the country on Thursday announced that they will observe April 14, the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, as Protect Constitution Day and have demanded that the Union government immediately bring an ordinance to restore the original Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
They also urged that the Act should be included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution so that there can’t be any more revisions in the act. A law placed under the Schedule is not open to judicial scrutiny.
“The government should issue an ordinance to restore and maintain the status quo of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and put the Act in the Ninth Schedule on the Constitution. We have decided to hold an unified action on April 14 as Protect Constitution Day,” said Srinivas Rao, leader of Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch.
Political leader and activist Prakash Ambedkar, who presided over their meeting, said the government should bring a legislation in the monsoon session of Parliament to ensure adequate representation of SC/ST in the judiciary.
Ashok Bharti of the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations supported Mr. Ambedkar’s demands. “Since the judiciary is not reforming itself, Parliament should bring a bill in the monsoon session to ensure that there is adequate representation of the marginalised (sections) in the judiciary,” he said.
The Dalit leaders have threatened street protests if the Prime Minister did not announce the government decision to resolve their demands on August 15 from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
The organisations have also demanded that all the cases filed by police against the activist and leaders arrested on April 10, when they observed a day-long Bharat Bandh, be taken back. “In Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, Dalits who were not involved in the protests but had merely taken leave due to Bharat Bandh have been suspended or fired from their jobs,” Mr. Rao said.
