Many government school and college teachers in Rajasthan have sought leave on April 2 to join a nationwide bandh against the Supreme Court’s recent order on the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The apex court order banned automatic arrests and registration of criminal cases under the Act.
Thirteen teachers of the government senior secondary school at Dekba in Sawai Madhopur district and two lecturers of Maharani Shri Jaya (MSJ) college in Bharatpur have written applications to their principals for a day’s leave.
They wrote in their applications that the order would make the SC/ST Act inactive, and that the exploitations against the communities would rise. They demanded that the Supreme Court reconsider the order.
“I am not aware about such applications for leave; I will speak to principals,” said Uttra Mehra, district education officer, secondary education, Sawai Madhopur.
MSJ college associate professor Arvind Verma held a press conference of Anusuchit Jati Jan Jati Ekta Manch on Saturday to call for participation and ensure success of the bandh.
“Nearly 2,000 teachers, lecturers and associate professors, and 700 government employees will be on leave in Bharatpur to support the nationwide bandh on April 2,” Verma said.
{{/usCountry}}“Nearly 2,000 teachers, lecturers and associate professors, and 700 government employees will be on leave in Bharatpur to support the nationwide bandh on April 2,” Verma said.
{{/usCountry}}On March 27, hundreds of people from schedule castes and schedule tribes held demonstrations in Bharatpur, demanding that the Supreme Court reconsider the order. They said cases of atrocities against SCs and STs have increased by 66% from 2007 to 2017.
The union ministry of social justice and empowerment is likely to file a review petition in the apex court to say that the order will weaken the provisions of the SC/ST Act, sources in the government said.
The ministry could also plead that the order would reduce the fear of law and might result in more violations, the sources said.