Shiv Sena, a ruling alliance partner, called for a special session of Maharashtra legislature to discuss “misuse” of the Scheduled Castes And Scheduled Tribes (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act, commonly known as ‘Atrocities Act’.
NCP President Sharad Pawar had recently voiced concern about the “misuse” of the act.
An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece ‘Samaana’ took a swipe at Pawar, who, it said, was first reported to have demanded the act be scrapped, but later claimed he had only sought an amendment.
Pawar was playing caste politics, the editorial said.
“Eighty per cent of the cases filed under the Atrocities Act have been proven to be false. Such cases do not stand in the courts and the accused is held innocent as it is found that the charges were filed due to personal enmity,” it said.
“If a Law made to safeguard a particular community results in injustice to another community, it is also a crime and so raising voice against the act isn’t a crime,” it said.
The act was being misused on a big scale because it provides for compensation to the victims, Sena said.
“Misuse of this act has resulted in increase in communalism and tension. If this act is no more a protection shield and has become a weapon for misuse, a special session of the state legislature needs to be called and its relevance needs to be debated,” the editorial said.
Pawar, speaking to reporters in Mumbai recently, had said the act should not be misused.
