*SCs/STs not getting full justice in U.P.: Panel * ** *Special Correspondent * ** ** ** ** ** * ------------------------------
** Mayawati Govt. puts onus on previous regime Usage of fake certificates in Assembly polls seen ** ------------------------------ * ** *LUCKNOW: Even as the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) expressed its dissatisfaction at the tardy implementation of the Scheduled Castes /Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act in Uttar Pradesh, the Government claimed that there has been no slackness. It further said that effective steps have been taken to prevent the misuse of the Act. * ** *On its part, the Mayawati Government put the onus on the previous regime for the increase in crimeagainst the Scheduled Castes, as well as the slackness in the implementation of the SC/ST Act. * ** *The Commission, which reviewed the progress of the welfare measures and other issues related with the Scheduled Castes in Uttar Pradesh concluded its two-day sitting in Lucknow on Thursday. * ** *In its meeting with the State Government officials on Friday, the slow progress in the cases of excesses against members of the Scheduled Castes in Agra, where a Dalit youth was beaten up and tied to a tree by lawyers, and in Chaubeypur in Kanpur, was brought to the notice of the Government. In Kanpur, the case was not registered under the SC/ ST Act by the police. Both the incidents occurred in the present regime. The entire Commission visited Kanpur on Thursday. Talking to newspersons, the NCSC Chairman Buta Singh regretted that fake caste certificates procured by members of castes not entitled to qualify as the Scheduled Castes were still in use for availing reservation benefits. Mr. Singh was referring to the decision of the Samajwadi Party Government in 2005 to include 16 Other Backward Castes in the list of Scheduled Castes. * ** *Although the decision was struck down by the Allahabad High Court on December 20, 2005, and was subsequently withdrawn by the Government, fake caste certificates were still being used, Mr. Singh said. The NCSC Chairman said lakhs of such certificates had been issued in the last couple of years but no action had been taken by the present regime. Mr. Singh pointed out that fake certificates had been used by some candidates in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. * *Quick on the heels of Mr. Singh's press meet, the State Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh, addressed another press conference to set the record straight. The Cabinet Secretary said the Commission had been informed that 71 courts to deal with crimes against the SCs/STs had been notified in 56 districts by the Mayawati Government, and added that substantial work had been done by the present regime for the welfare of the Dalits in the last four months.* ** -- Ranjit --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to greenyouth@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
