Commentaries on scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes (Prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989 along with the protection of civil rights act, 1955

The Statement of Objects and Reasons to this Act namely The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 are self explanatory and quite informative which is reproduced hereunder :

"Despite various measures to improve the socio economic conditions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, they remain vulnerable. They are denied number of civil rights. They are subjected to various offences, indignities, humiliations and harassment. They have, in several brutal incidents, been deprived of their life, and property. Serious crimes are committed against them for various historical, social and economic reasons.

"Because of the awareness created amongst the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes through spread of education, etc. they are trying to assert their rights and this is not being taken very kindly by the others. When they assert their rights and resist practices of untouchability against them or demand statutory minimum wages or refuse to do any bonded forced labour, the vested interests try to cow them down and terrorise them. When the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes try to preserve their self respect or honour of their women, they become irritants for the dominant and the mighty.

"Under the circumstances, the existing laws like the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the normal provisions of the Indian Penal Code have been found inadequate to check these crimes. A special legislation to check and deter crimes against them committed by non-Scheduled Castes and non Scheduled Tribes has, therefore, become necessary.

The term 'atrocity' has not been defined so far. It is considered necessary that not only the term atrocity should be defined but stringent measures should be introduced to provide for higher punishment for committing such atrocities. It is also proposed to enjoin on the States and the Union Territories to take specific preventive and punitive measures to protect the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes from being victimised and where atrocities are committed to provide adequate relief and assistance to rehabilitate them."