Athawale appeals to people to not participate in Bharat Bandh

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale today appealed to the public to not participate in the August 9 'Bharat Bandh' called by Dalit organisations against the Supreme Court ruling on the SC/ST Act.

In a statement issued today, Athawale appealed to the people to maintain peace, harmony and brotherhood in the country.

His appeal comes a day after the Lok Sabha passed The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill 2018 to overturn a Supreme Court order concerning certain safeguards against arrest under the law.

Yesterday, The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill 2017, which grants constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes(NCBC), was also passed by the Parliament.

Athawale said the passage of the two bills was a revolutionary step and alleged that the opposition is defaming the government wrongly over this.