Review SC/ST Act to prevent misuse, say Maratha activists

MUMBAI: The Maratha Kranti Mukmorcha (MKM), an organization set up after the Kopardi gangrape and murder, has demanded changes to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the amendments made in 2015 to halt the legislation’s misuse.
“There will be no compromise. We demand reservation for Marathas, death sentence for the Kopardi case accused and amendments to the Atrocities Act.We have submitted identical memoranda to the collectors and divisional commissioners across Maharashtra,” an MKM office-bearer said.
“We have proposed that some amendments to the law enacted in 1989 as well as the amendments made in 2015, which were notified in 2016. “We have suggested that the Act’s Section 4, which provides punishment for neglect of duties by a public servant should be abolished,” he said. “Under the Act, once a complaint is received by a public servant, it becomes binding on him/her to register a case. In our opinion, the provision is harsh and it should be left to the official’s discretion,” he said. The activists have recommended that an offence under the Act should be registered only after an independent verification of a complaint. “A criminal case should not be registered merely on the basis of the complaint, but it should be filed only after a proper and independent verification. The task of verification should be given to an independent vigilance branch set up for the purpose,” he said.
On the issue of compensation to the victims, the activists said that financial assistance should be given after the final outcome of the case. They also want fast-track courts across the state.
“Until now there were 22 types of atrocities listed in the law. In 2016, they were enhanced to 37. We feel that a high-level review is required on the types of atrocities. If the need be, then the number of atrocities should be reduced,” he said. The organization has demanded that some amendments made to Section 3 of the Act, which provides for punishment for offences of atrocities, should dropped. “Some rules are used to register false cases, it will be most appropriate to abolish them,” he said.