JAMMU APRIL 02- National Conference SC/ST Cell on Monday staged dharna in Raghunath Mandir Chowk here in protest against the alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989 and assailed the BJP led government at the Centre for not defending the law during the judicial process.
Led by former minister and Chairperson SC/ST Cell Babu Ram Pal, the protesters took out a march from Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan and held protests in the Chowk to press their demand for seeking early review in the apex court and submission of a forceful counter in defence of the Act.
Babu Ram Pal, while addressing the workers at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan, expressed solidarity with the organizations fighting for just cause of the weaker sections of the society, especially Scheduled Castes and said every possible legal course should be adopted to defend the Act during the review petition. He expressed concern over harassment being caused to the peaceful protesters by making excessive use of force, saying peaceful protests were legitimate process to press genuine demands in a democracy.
