1997, When BSP Govt Provided Financial Support to Fight Cases Under SC/ST Act and BJP Stopped
On 20th March 1997, Behan Mayawati became chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the second time, after a short 136 days the first stint as a CM in 1995. The first priority of BSP was to bring law and order in the state and support those who were suffering and were denied justice by previous governments.
Major relief for Dalits came through the strict implementation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act of 1989 (PoA Act) especially to those Dalits living in rural UP. Law had many provisions which were not used by previous governments but Mayawati led BSP government put those provisions into practice. Police officers were given clear instructions to fearlessly implement the Act. No other state or the government had ever done that till then.
Not only Mayawati administration used the law to put accused in jails but also helped victims with a sum of 6,000 rupees to fight the case in court. It opened the door for poor Dalits to fight for justice, which they had rarely dreamed of considering the legal fees. Strict implementation of PoA Act, which was known as Dalit Act during that period in UP, encouraged Dalits to file cases of atrocities which were earlier left unreported. BSP’s rule is best known for law and order, not even a single political critic can claim otherwise. Safety and peace in the state were maintained with strictness so that state could progress.
On 21st September 1997, BJP government came into power and Kalyan Singh became the CM of Uttar Pradesh and to please his upper castes clan his government passed an order on SC/ST Act diluting it and stopped paying 6,000 rupees legal fees to the victims. Protesting against that BSP government withdrew its support from the government.
Now once again, BJP government along with Brahminical courts have diluted SC/ST Act and it is necessary that we come forward and voice against the injustice.
Various Dalit-Bahujan organisations have called for shut down of India on 2nd April against the court ruling. Support 2nd April India shut down.
[irp]
Really a great movement by our Dalit community. The only thing that I wonder is what made the Supreme Court pronounce an order diluting the Act under reference. Did anybody wanted the Act to be diluted ? If , so, then why ? As far as Inunderstand , Supreme Court will not pronounce any such order on its own.Is there a hand of the BJP in this episode ? The media isnot giving the background details. The BJP is playing a good samaritan saying that it had filed a review petition. I request that someone to give the clarification.