Marathas push for united front against law abuse

Mumbai: Leaders of the Maratha community are trying to forge a united front with some other community organisations in a bid to challenge the controversial provisions of the dalit protection law before the Supreme Court, a leader has said.

“We will approach to the Supreme Court because not much relief is given by the court to prevent the misuse of the law,” Rajendra Kondhare, general secretary of the Maratha Mahasangh, told The Asian Age.

“Vast powers will be vested in the superintendent of police, who may misuse them. We will meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also and demand that the state remain neutral in the Supreme Court as the state had given us an assurance,” he said.

Maratha organisations discussed the issue with Brahmin and other backward castes (OBC) organisations on Tuesday and would decide on the course of action soon, he said.

Maratha organisations have been raising the issue of misuse of the laws for the past two years and their marches forced the government to consider the matter, according to Mr Kondhare.  Mr Fadnavis had given them an assurance on setting up district-level committees under the collector.

The superintendents of police were to conduct the preliminary inquiry into the complaints received under atrocities prevention law, he said.

The Supreme Court has directed that the superintendents of police would conduct the preliminary inquiry within seven days into any complaint against private persons and would sanction or deny further proceedings. In case of a government employee, the departmental sanction is compulsory.

The Union government filed the review petition in the Supreme Court on Monday following dalit pressure. The Maratha and other community organisations are planning to move the Supreme Court with their demand to curtail the misuse of the law.