Chouhan Promises to Dilute SC/ST Act, Sides With Upper Caste Groups

In a bid to appease upper castes groups, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on September 20 announced that no one will be arrested without an investigation under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. In the run-up to the upcoming Assembly elections, especially in keeping with the increasing resentment among different communities against the BJP-led government, Chouhan’s latest promise seems to be in direct contradiction to his party’s recent amendment of the law.

“MP mein nahi hoga SC/ST Act ka durupyog, bina jaanch ke nahi hogi giraftari. (Madhya Pradesh will not allow misuse of the SC/ST Act, no one will be arrested without an investigation),” Chouhan tweeted on Thursday. “Misuse of the law will not be allowed in this state. A case will be registered only after a thorough probe, and a directive will be issued to this end shortly,” he reiterated his stand on the law during his campaign event - ‘Jan Ashirvad Yatra’ in Chhindwara.

Condemning  the CM’s announcement, the state CPI(M) said a statement that Chouhan’s attempt to change the SC/ST Act through Twitter was “ludicrous”. “BJP has revealed its true face. Ahead of the elections, Chouhan and the Sangh Parivar have been attempting to create a situation of caste violence in MP. Since the April 2 bandh, there have been continuous attempts to push the Dalit and Adivasis in the state back to the age of Manusmriti. Despite constitutional safeguards being there, fringe groups like Karni Sena are being encouraged. In addition to that, now the CM, too, has come out openly in support of such forces,” said Jaswinder Singh, CPI(M) state secretary.

Also read: Current Political Unrest Among Dalits

There has been country-wide debate and series of protests in relation with the changes to the SC/ST Act. The Supreme Court in a verdict on March 20 had diluted the law which brought in provisions such as anticipatory bail to the accused, mandatory preliminary enquiry before registration of a case, and prior sanction by a superior officer before effecting an arrest. This judgement had outraged Dalits and tribals across the country who took to the roads demanding the government to nullify the changes made by the court. Following the court order, various states, especially those under the BJP government, including Madhya Pradesh, had even issued formal orders for the implementation of the diluted law. However, in August, under pressure from academicians, political parties, organisations and also Dalit MLAs and MPs within the BJP, the NDA government had made amendments to the law nullifying the Supreme Court order.

Also read: Dalit Anger Boils Over Across India

On April 2, in protest against the dilution of their safeguard law, Dalits along with tribals had organised a Bharat Bandh, in which lakhs of people had participated. However, the bandh saw violence by police and members of upper castes in which at least 10  Dalits were killed. Thousands from the oppressed communities are still facing numerous cases for their participation.

Upper caste groups, on the other side, also had called a Bharat Bandh on September 6, in protest against the central government’s recent amendments to the Act. Although the bandh fizzled out, many places in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh were reportedly affected.

Also read: Caste Groups Begin Protest in MP, Demand Quota on Basis of Economic Status

In Madhya Pradesh, over the last few weeks, various upper caste groups have been leading a series of protests against the state government demanding the restoring of the March 20 Supreme Court verdict diluting the SC/ST Act. In the forefront are the groups - SAPAKS Samaj Society (Samanya Pichhda Alpsankhayak Kalyan Samaj), Rajpoot Karni Sena, Parsuram Sena and others which are also against the policy of promotions to SC/STs in government institutions. But the reality of violence and oppression on the lower castes in the state is terrifying. For instance, during the April 2 Bharat Bandh,  six Dalits were killed due to the attacks by upper castes.

According to official figures, in 2016, Madhya Pradesh alone recorded 43.4% of the total crimes against SCs, highest in the country. That year, the state also accounted for a large proportion of crimes against SC/STs - 27.8%.

While CM Chouhan has obviously chosen to side with the upper castes, his tweet doesn’t warrant him any ‘Ashirvad’ from the oppressed sections.