Rahul leads Opposition delegation to President, seeks review of SC order on atrocities

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday led a delegation of Opposition leaders to President Ram Nath Kovind to convey the unease and feeling of insecurity among Dalits and other oppressed communities over the Supreme Court's dilution of the anti-atrocities act.

Rahul was accompanied by senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge, P L Punia, BSP leader S C Mishra, CPM leader T K Rangarajan, TKS Elangovan (DMK), Vandana Chavan (NCP), Bishambhar Prasad Nishad (SP) among others.

"We expressed our concerns on the dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. On the one hand, atrocities against Dalits are increasing and on the other, their biggest weapon against atrocities is being diluted," Rahul told reporters after the meeting.

A three-page memorandum submitted to the President listed out instances of atrocities against Dalits and tribals since 2014.

"A 2016 report published by the National Crime Records Bureau says the conviction rates in crimes against Dalits are abysmally poor," the memorandum said.

CPM leader T K Rangarajan said political parties urged the President to direct the government to file a review petition against the March 20 Supreme Court direction that has diluted the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

"It is the duty of every government to safeguard the weaker and vulnerable sections of society," NCP leader Vandana Chavan said.

BSP leader S C Mishra said the delegation told the President that the government had failed to argue the case effectively in the Supreme Court, which was the reason for the dilution of the Act.

The Opposition leaders alleged that it was surprising that instead of fighting for the rights of Dalits, as claimed by the Union Government, at the time of hearing of the case before the Supreme Court, the Centre stated that anticipatory bail could be allowed in cases of atrocities against Dalits if no prima facie case was made out.

"This shows the double-faced character of the present government - one inside the courts and the other outside, before public and media," they said said in the memorandum.