SC/ST Act Row: 'Can't Take Back Chocolate From Child', Says Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan
The Lok Sabha had on August 6 passed an amendment law which reversed the changes made to the SC/ST Act by the Supreme Court in April this year.
New Delhi, Sept 7: In an analogy which is likely to draw flak from the Opposition, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the restoration of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in its original form was necessitated as one "can't take back chocolate from the child" forcibly.
Mahajan, while addressing a BJP Traders' Cell meet in the national capital, said the restoration of the SC/ST Act in its original form should not be politicised as an all-party consensus was reached to maintain the erstwhile structure of the law.
She, however, used an analogy which may give fodder to the Opposition to corner the government. "Suppose if I give a big chocolate to my son and I later realise that it is not good for him to have so much of it at one go, one will try to take back the chocolate from the child. But you cannot take it as he will get angry and start crying," Mahajan was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
"But some sensible person can make the child understand and take back the chocolate from him," she further added.
Notably, the Lok Sabha had on August 6 passed a law which reversed the changes made to the SC/ST Act by the Supreme Court in April this year. The law was ratified by the Rajya Sabha on August 9, bringing it to effect after the President's approval.
The amendment Bill came in the backdrop of a massive shutdown planned by Dalit groups on August 9. Allies of the government - Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP, apart from a slew of Opposition parties, had extended support to the bandh call.
As per the changes which were made to the law by the apex court, the provision of immediate arrest was struck down and the accused was also allowed to seek anticipatory bail.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 07, 2018 09:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).