Question : MISUSE OF LAW BY PEOPLE

(a) the provision to penalise the people using castiest remarks or derogatory language against the people of Scheduled Castes communities in the society to protect the dignity of these people;

(b) whether the cases of misuse of the law enacted to protect the dignity of SC people have also come to light;

(c) if so, the preventive steps taken by the Government to protect the innocent people from being falsely implicated in such cases;

(d) whether there is a need to make this provision more strict; and

(e) if so, the reaction of the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI D. NAPOLEON)

(a) Section 3(1)(x) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, inter-alia, stipulates that whoever, not being a member of a SC or a ST, intentionally insults or intimidates, with intent to humiliate, a member of a SC or a ST in any place within public view, shall be punishable with imprisonment.

(b) to (e) Incidents of false cases under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 was indicated by some agencies. For dealing with specific false cases relevant Sections of the IPC can be invoked by the concerned agencies.