Silent march taken out

Alleging that few unscrupulous elements in society were misusing the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, to intimidate innocent people, many officials, politicians, judges, and hundreds of members of Veerashiva-Lingayat community took out a silent protest march in Dharwad on Friday.

The march was taken out under the aegis of Akhila Bharath Veerashiva Mahasabha, with the State president of Mahasabha N. Thippanna, and other office-bearers including Gururaj Hunasimarad, leading it.

It began from the Kadapa Maidan and concluded at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Dharwad where a demonstration was staged. The protesters wore black badges.

Mr. Thippanna said that the government should come out with a new legislation to check misuse of the Act and also to take punitive action against such people. He alleged that few people had made it a habit of filing cases against innocent people under the provisions of the Act and fleecing them. False cases were also being filed even against judges and politicians which was a bad trend, he said.

Mr. Hunasimarad clarified that the protest was not against any community but against those misusing the Act. The police should act tough against those trying to harass innocent and honest people and officials, he said. Pointing out that only 2% of the cases filed under the Act had been proven so far, he said there was need for the State and the Centre to bring amendments and formulate a new law.

Meanwhile, Dharwad witnessed a counter protest on the issue with members of Dalit organisations participating in it. The police intervened to pacify the agitators. Subsequently, members of Mahasabha submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister.