Live: Supreme Court refuses to stay its order on SC/ST Act, reports ANI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to stay its ruling which activists say has diluted a law aimed at preventing atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis.

A bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, however, said compensation can be paid to victims under The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, even without a FIR being registered.

The bench said this on a plea by the Centre seeking recall of its March 20 order where the apex court had said that no arrest would be affected on a complaint under the Act without an inquiry.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said in Lok Sabha the government was not responsible for the dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act

The Home Minister’s statement, in which he condoles deaths, appeals for peace and repeats that the Central Government was not a party in the Supreme Court case on SC/ST (PoA) Act, can be read here.

Even as Bharat Bandh turned violent, the Government was again caught lying while claiming that it was not a party in the case before the Supreme Court in which provisions of SC/ST Act were diluted. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad’s contention that the Union Government was not a party to the case before the Supreme Court was found to be false and Supreme Court reporters were quick to point out that Additional Solicitor General Maninder Kumar represented the Government of India and was heard by the court.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawarchand Gehlot on Monday hit back at Congress President Rahul Gandhi over his allegations against the BJP concerning the Dalits, saying party members have worked for the community's empowerment from the days of erstwhile Jan Sangh. Earlier, Gandhi had alleged that it was "in the DNA of the RSS/BJP, to keep Dalits at the lowest notch in the Indian society".

The CPI(M) on Monday denounced the police firing on Dalit activists protesting against the Supreme Court's decision to dilute the SC/ST (PoA) Act. A CPI-M statement said the response to the call for a Bharat Bandh by Dalit groups was widespread in states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.
"This shows the anger against the Supreme Court's decision..."

The CPI-M said it condemned the "brutal police firing which has led to the death of four people in Gwalior, Bhind and Morena in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh. In many other places, there have been attacks by police on protestors. One person has died in Alwar, Rajasthan. Such a situation has arisen because of the failure of the Modi government to present an effective case against the dilution of the Prevention of Atrocities Act. It is imperative that the review petition in the Supreme Court be effectively argued by the government counsel," it said.

1 dead, 35-40 policemen and 30-35 protesters were injured in violence and 448 people were detained in Uttar Pradesh in incidents of violence during Bharat Bandh called by Dalit groups says UP DIG, Law and Order, Praveen Kumar

In Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference SC/ST Cell staged a demonstration at Raghunath Mandir Chowk in Jammu to protest dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. The party slammed BJP-led government at the Centre for not defending the law during the judicial process

States asked to take preventive steps and maintain public order to ensure safety of lives and property. MHA closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with states; central forces made available: Ministry spokesperson

Congress Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad at a press conference demanded the Central Government bring an ordinance to strengthen SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act

The Quint has reported that SBSP Chief OP Rabhar said the Supreme Court order on SC/ST Act was "absolutely appropriate". The report quote Rajbhar as saying "innocent person should not be unnecessarily harassed". Rajbhar is part of the BJP-led NDA govt in Uttar Pradesh

Hindustan has reported that one person has died from injuries sustained in violence in Firozabad District, Uttar Pradesh

The Lok Sabha was informed on Monday that the Centre has filed a review petition over the Supreme Court's order for the dilution of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act

Opposition leaders on March 28 asked President Ram Nath Kovind to intervene and prevent a “national disaster”, citing increased insecurity among Dalits after dilution of provisions of SC/ST (PoA) Act

CNN News18 reports that Dalit lawmakers are set to meet the Prime Minister "to apprise him of the issues concerning SCs and STs, including the unhappiness among the community over the apex court verdict on SC/ST Act”

Reports have come in that highways and major roads in Gaya, Bihar blocked during Bharat Bandh

Punjab was on high alert on Monday with hundreds of security personnel deployed ahead of a protest called by some organisations of the Scheduled Castes, objecting to the dilution of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act

Columnist Aakar Patel says “It isn’t a coincidence that the laws enacted to protect the rights of people in vulnerable situations—women, Dalits, Adivasis—against the powerful, are the ones most often accused of misuse”, while arguing that the SC order is likely to “gut a law crucial to protecting Dalit and Adivasi rights”

Dalit groups have called for a Bharat Bandh today, April 2, against dilution of stringent provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Several political parties are supporting the bandh.

The Supreme Court had ruled on March 20 that sanction of the appointing authority would be required before arrest or prosecution of the accused under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Opposition and SC/ST MPs of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have pressed upon the Government to seek review of the Supreme Court order, which effectively diluted the stringent provisions of the SC/ST (PoA) Act, at a time when incidents of atrocities against SC/ST are on the rise.

The government is expected to file a review petition in the Supreme Court today.