The Hindu : National : We were not consulted: Suraj Bhan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 17, 2006

National

National

We were not consulted: Suraj Bhan

Special Correspondent

Government "insulting Constitution by not taking us into confidence," says Chairman

MUMBAI: The National Commission for the Scheduled Castes feels that the Government should consult them before formulating any mechanism or policy on the quota issue.

"By not consulting us or taking us into confidence, they are insulting the Constitution because it is mandatory for the Government to do so under the Article 338, Para 10," said the Commission Chairman, Suraj Bhan.

Dr. Bhan told reporters here on Tuesday that he would write letters to all MPs urging them to raise the matter in Parliament. "What is the need for the Commission if they do not consult it," he asked. He refused to give his views on the quota issue and said he preferred to put them before the Government, provided the Commission was consulted officially.

Dr. Bhan and other members were here to meet the Maharashtra Chief Secretary, D.K. Shankaran and the Secretaries of other departments to discuss the problems of the Scheduled Castes in the State.

He said Maharashtra was among the states where atrocities against the Scheduled Castes were the highest. The incidence rose from 611 registered cases in the year 2002-03 to 731 in year 2004-05. The conviction rate in Maharashtra was only one per cent against the national level of three per cent. The rate of acquittal was 21 per cent in the State.

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