BJP MP accuses forest official of offence under SC/ST Act, writes to Speaker

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Sasaram in Bihar, Chhedi Paswan, has accused Rohtas divisional forest officer (DFO) Manish Kumar Verma of violating protocol and indulging in discriminatory behaviour that constitutes a crime under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Sasaram in Bihar, Chhedi Paswan, has accused Rohtas divisional forest officer (DFO) Manish Kumar Verma of violating protocol and indulging in discriminatory behaviour that constitutes a crime under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

BJP MP Chhedi Paswan. (HT Photo)

Paswan, in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, has demanded a probe against the officer.

Copies of the letter, dated July 18, 2022, and seen by HT, have also been sent to National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the minister, environment and forests, in Bihar.

“The DFO had organized Van Mahotsava on a hill near Sasaram on July 8 and displayed banners of the same on public places. The names of the district magistrate, superintendent of police and representative of an NGO had been written above the name of the MP and my name found fourth place on the banner. When a few locals objected to it, the DFO gave irresponsible and discriminatory statements, which amount to a punishable offence under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” the MP alleged.

“I have been an MP four times, an MLA four times and a minister twice in the state cabinet. In my public life of 45 years, I have been subjected to such discrimination for the first time. The officer involved in law violation and act against the SC/ST Act was not fit to hold a public post,” the MP has said.

DFO Verma didn’t answer calls and messages on his official number.