Shivamani, an advocate, said on Saturday that the architect of Indian Constitution B.R. Ambedkar had, in the country’s Constitution, ensured that all people enjoyed equal rights without any discrimination. He was speaking at a function organised by Ambedkar Yuva Sena on the flagging off of the ‘Bheemayana’, a vehicle to propagate the ideals of Dr. Ambedkar on his 127th birth anniversary, at Vadabhandeshwara Circle in Malpe, here.
Mr. Shivamani said before Independence, the caste system was rampant. The Constitution helped ensure all citizens were treated as equals without any discrimination on caste, religion, and creed. It provided for reservation in jobs and education for people from weaker sections of society. It had helped them to join professional courses also.
The recent judgement of the Supreme Court on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, was a cause for concern. The objective of this Act was to protect the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes against atrocities and discrimination. But the court had ruled that public servants could not be prosecuted without the approval of higher authorities and also against the immediate arrest of the accused. The other citizens too could be arrested only after an enquiry. These directions would make it difficult for any complaint to be registered against those who had committed atrocities against Dalits. “People should follow the ideals of Dr. Ambedkar,” Mr. Shivamani said.
