April 1, 2022
Pratima Mondal’s speech on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022
Sir, I rise to speak on the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022. Sir, in modern India, caste system is prohibited by law, but that does not restrict it from being practised in the society. Division of the society on grounds of caste is still a reality. The mind behind the Indian Constitution, namely, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar understood the need to actively empower these communities socially, economically and financially, and to provide them with equal opportunities to participate in the country’s governance and functioning, and to uplift and promote their growth. This led the Government to make ways for laws and regulations, which aimed at their development. Among all other provisions, the most important is the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It was implemented to address the crimes committed against these communities, but the results are far from satisfactory because there is a continuous rise in the number of cases every
year all across the nation. According to the National Crime Record Bureau, the crime rate has increased from 22.8 per lakh population to 25 per lakh population in 2020, which obviously will be even higher in 2021. Uttar Pradesh stands at the top with 10,138 cases in 2016 to 10,430 cases in 2020. This is the number that we are aware of. So, just imagine if all the unreported cases are also taken into account. The condition of women is terrible. A total of 4,372 cases were lodged for rape, 3,373 for assault on women, 855 for murder, and 1,119 for attempted murder. Here, I would like to mention that डॉक्टर काकोली घोर्ष दस्तीदार जी, मैंऔर राज्य सभा केएक सासं द महोदय उस घटना केबाद शोक-सतं प्त पररिार सेधमलनेके धलए हाथरस गए थे। मेरेसाथ धडप्टी कलेक्टर रकैं केएक अधिकारी नेजो बताडि धकया, उसेसभी नेदेखा। ऐसा
नहींहोना चाधहए था और यह सोचनेिालीबात है। Actually, this scares me to my core, as a mother, and there must be stricter provision to bring an end to these atrocities. I would also like to say that protection of women beyond their division of caste should be the priority of the nation. Coming to the front of reservation, though there are regulations to ensure the same, they are being flouted repeatedly and the Government is hardly taking any steps to curb the unconstitutional incidents. Being a part of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare Committee, I have time and again come across a peculiarly similar scenario in different Departments of Government and bodies having the provision of reservation, and the funds that are allocated for the development of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe are lying unutilized and then diverted to other areas. This is absolutely unacceptable Proper steps should be taken to prevent this. Not only this, innumerable instances have reflected that the reservation policy is not being implemented properly. The latest incidents involving the IITs on November, 2021, the Supreme Court has directed the Central government to follow reservation guidelines because currently they are following: “completely unconstitutional, illegal and arbitrary process”. The crime and discrimination in educational institutions against the SC and ST candidates is also a common scenario. The divide and barrier that is put up is very difficult and mentally exhausting for the students. The youth of the nation who are so aware of different facets of mental health must take a moment and think before uttering hurtful words to the candidates of SCs and STs, which make the candidates ponder upon their selfworth. I would not like to go into much details because these words are enough to make my message clear. Inclusion of more categories and making regulations are not enough, and will not serve the real purpose. Allocation of more funds, implementation and real change through education are the need of the hour. Castes-tribes divide sparks a sense of high and low among the school-going children which then becomes permanent. Chapter on inclusivity and equality must be included in school curriculum to build a better generation, and thus, their future. The Gond community will be excluded from the Scheduled Castes list, and included in the Scheduled Tribes list. Should it serve the real purpose or else even this piece of legislation will remain on paper with zero result on ground? The real picture is that Gonds have been deprived of their rights. The forest of the Gondwana area had always belonged to them. In order to exploit the forests and the greed of land, led to snatching of their homes. Though the captured areas have been developed, Gonds are pushed back into severe poverty and helplessness This finally resulted in armed revolution or simply put, naxalism. The Government must ensure that the agricultural lands that were taken away from them should be returned. Brutality on the Gonds must stop. Not very long, in
2016, the house of a Gond family in Shivpur Diyar Limbdi Village in Ballia district was burnt down. To quote: “We too want a permanent settlement but no one allows us to own our own land. Now, we are landless for generation.” Here, I quote: “The plea of the Gonds in Uttar Pradesh is that if the Government does not guarantee that this cruelty will end, there can never be peace in these areas. Just treating the SC and the STcommunity or people as the source of vote bank is no less humiliating than crime committed against our community.” Here, I would like to mention that due to the sincere efforts of hon. Chief Minister, the Government of West Bengal, has been largely successful in
abolition of mining activities through implementation of different developmental schemes in the district. In the district, which has the highest population of the SCs and the STs like South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Bhirbhum, Bankura, Jhargaon, Purulia and different areas of North Bengal have showed a significance rise in education and employment level. Women from the SC and ST community are getting Rs.1,000 per month under the Lokirbanda Scheme, a symbol of women empowerment and the people above the age of 60 are also receiving Rs.1,000 per month under Jai Johar Scheme for the STs and Taposuti Bandu for the SCs. This should be ensured in all the areas dominated by the SCs and STs. Preservation of the tribal culture is also of utmost importance in areas
dominated by the STs. We should impart education on cultural aspects of the respective tribal communities through cultural programmes. These small steps will result into big positive difference. Keeping this mind, the Government must look forward to establishing equality in the country. With these words, on behalf of my party, All India Trinamool Congress, I support this Bill.
