SCs/STs safe under BJP rule and leadership of Modi: Sushil

Patna: No infringement on the rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be tolerated in the country as long as Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister and BJP is in power, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said here today. 

Addressing a function organized on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dalit icon Baba Chauharmal, the senior BJP leader also said that the Centre was likely to file a review petition challenging the Supreme Court judgement on SC/ST Act.

He also defended the decision of the Yogi Adityanath government in the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh to replace the name of Bhim Rao Ambedkar with “Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar”, in all government documents saying “this was how he had put his signature in the original copy of the Constitution”. 

Sushil also said that the BJP was firmly committed to the welfare of SCs and STs and opposed to introduce creamy layer in the quotas meant for them but strongly in support of reservation in promotions and ensuring adequate representation of the depressed classes in the judiciary.

“The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had brought in reservation in promotion by amending the Constitution. The Nitish Kumar government did the same in Bihar though it was set aside by the Supreme Court. 

The state government will try to bring the provision into force by plugging the loopholes”, Sushil said. He also said “SC/ST Act is acts as a shield which protects the weaker sections against atrocities. It is not proper to dilute such a law for fear of misuse. 

The BJP is firmly with Dalits on this issue and the Government will file a review petition next week”. 

The Bihar Deputy CM also said, “the option of putting the Act in the Constitution’s 9th Schedule should be exercised so that no scope of judicial intervention remains”. 

“It is unfortunate that the UP government’s decision to correctly spell Ambedkar’s name in government records is being misrepresented. 

It has been a tradition in Maharashtra to write the name of one’s father as one’s middle name”, the BJP leader said. “SCs and STs of the country should rest assured. There can be no violation of their rights as long as Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister and BJP is in power”, he asserted.