NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) are yet to fill some of the key posts. While the NCSC, headed by Kishor Makwana, has two posts vacant -- vice chairman and a member, the vice chairman post in NCBT has been lying vacant for over a year.
Antar Singh Arya took over as NCST chairman last year, after Harsh Chouhan resigned in June 2023, eight months before the end of his tenure. Chouhan resigned over his differences with the environment ministry on the new Forest Conservation Rules 2022.
The NCST is a constitutional body under Article 338, which has five members: a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and three other members. While the term of the Vice Chairperson, Ananta Nayak, came to an end on February 24, the post is yet to be filled.
On Friday, LoP Rahul Gandhi attacked the government over key posts lying vacant in the NCSC and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fill them up to ensure that it effectively fulfils the responsibility of protecting the rights and interests of Dalits. He said the vacant posts were a manifestation of the “anti-Dalit mindset” of the BJP government.
The commission is a constitutional institution and weakening it is a direct attack on the constitutional and social rights of Dalits, he said
Gandhi said, “The National Commission for Scheduled Castes, which protects the rights of Dalits, has been deliberately neglected. Two of its key posts have been lying vacant for a year,” he said.
“This commission is a constitutional institution -- weakening it is a direct attack on the constitutional and social rights of Dalits. If not the commission, then who will listen to the voice of Dalits in the government? Who will take action on their complaints?” Gandhi said.