SC/ST Atrocities Act to stay; amendment can be considered:

Athawale Pune, Sep 10 (PTI) The SC and ST (Prevention ofAtrocities) Act would not be scrapped but suggestions forgenuine amendment could be considered, Union Minister of Statefor Social Justice Ramdas Athawale today said here. Referring to the "silent agitation" by Maratha communityin Maharashtra demanding scrapping of the Act, Athawale, aprominent Dalit leader, said, "Let agitations take place, butunder no circumstances the Act will be scrapped because withgrowing number of atrocities against Dalits in the country,the Act is needed." He hastened to add that the atrocities against Dalits cannot be attributed to a BJP or Congress government, but suchincidents happen because some people, who are communal, wantto create a rift in the society. Athawale admitted that the Act was misused to someextent, and said he would personally see to it that this wasstopped. "The Act was formulated after serious deliberations in1989 and if there are genuine amendments or suggestions, itwill be taken into consideration," he said. "I believe inter-caste marriages are the solution tobring about communal harmony. Our ministry is encouraging suchmarriages and people should come forward to encourage suchthings," said Athawale, who is the chief of Republican Partyof India. He said he had always backed demand of reservations forMarathas. "Marathas in Maharashtra, Patels in Gujarat, Rajputs inRajasthan and all non-SC and ST communities who areeconomically backward should get reservation, but Dalitreservation should not be touched," Athawale added.PTI SPK KRKSRY