MUMBAI: Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale hoped today that the bill to restore the original provisions of a law on atrocities against SC/ST people gets introduced in the current session of Parliament.
The bill to restore the original provisions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday, acceding to a key demand of Dalit groups ahead of their call for a 'Bharat Bandh' on August 9.
"I will strive to see the bill is brought in the Parliament in the on-going session," a statement quoted Athawale as saying.
In a ruling in March, the Supreme Court had introduced safeguards against arrests, which Dalit leaders and organisations said diluted the Act and rendered it toothless.
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha that the NDA government intends to pass the bill in the current session.