Bring ordinance to restore SC/ST Act: Paswan

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday appealed to the BJP-led NDA government to bring an ordinance to overturn Supreme Court's March 20 order that put safeguards against arrests under the SC/SC Act.

Addressing a press conference here, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said the government must bring an ordinance to curtail acts of atrocities against people from the SC and ST communities.

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday justified its March 20 order with regard to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, saying no one can be arrested without adoption of a fair procedure and that not even Parliament can make such a law.

LJP Parliamentary Board Chairman and MP Chirag Paswan, who is son of Ram Vilas Paswan, said the Supreme Court had deferred hearing on the issue after summer vacation, which could lead to rise in attacks on these communities during the intervening period.