DMK leads protest against SC/ST law dilution

Chennai, April 16 (IANS) The DMK, along with other opposition parties, staged a protest here on Monday against the dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Addressing the gathering, DMK leader M.K. Stalin said the Supreme Court order to dilute the Act was unacceptable.

Stalin demanded the Central government to file an appeal in the Supreme Court and also include the Act under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

The political parties that participated in the protest were DMK, Congress, IUML, MDMK, VCK and MMK.

The apex court in its March 20 order said that an accused cannot be mandatorily arrested under the Act without an initial probe.

The Dalit organisations and various civil society groups see it as "dilution" and accuse the Narendra Modi government of conniving in the case.