With Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott Act, 2016 being passed, battle is half won: MANS

The movement, initiated by late Narendra Dabholkar, gained momentum after he was shot dead and the Maharashtra legislature passed the law unanimously in 2016. It was, however, pending with the central government for the President's nod until June 20, 2017.

With the President of India giving assent to the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016, the state became the first in the country to bring out a law that establishes social boycott as a crime.

Umesh Rudrap of Telugu Mandaleshwar Samaj filed the first complaint against community leaders over ostracism in July 2017. It was the first case registered in the state after the Social Boycott Law came into effect(HT FILE PHOTO)

Consequently, the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) will be organising a seminar on April 7 in Mumbai aiming to create maximum awareness about the act. 

Addressing a press conference organised by the MANS, Avinash Patil, executive president of MANS, said, “Although we welcome the government’s decision to pass the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, the battle, however, is just half won. The next step would be creating awareness about the act.” 

The movement, initiated by late Narendra Dabholkar, gained momentum after he was shot dead and the Maharashtra legislature passed the law unanimously in 2016. It was, however, pending with the central government for the President's nod until June 20, 2017. 

Patil said, “We have planned a complete one-year programme where we will be taking up various initiatives to create awareness about the act.”

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, including other political leaders like former CM Prithviraj Chavan, NCP leader Supriya Sule and others, will be present at the event on April 7. 

MANS also pushed for the need to extensively work towards creating awareness about the menace of alcohol addiction. “We have been consistently demanding a complete ban on alcohol in the state of Maharashtra. Recently, a delegation of MANS met Raj Kumar Badole, cabinet minister for social justice and special assistance,” added Patil. 

The state government has assured the delegation of MANS that it will soon form a committee to work particularly in this direction, said Patil.