Attaching the highest importance to prevention and control of crimes against SCs and STs, the Union home ministry has told states that 'arms licences should be provided to members of SCs and STs' in 'atrocity-prone areas' to safeguard themselves and their property, and if necessary arms licences of those persons who are not members of SCs and STs should be cancelled.
Not only the SC/ST members in atrocity prone areas can face cancellation of their arms licences, their near relations, servants or employees and family friends will also face the same action, if deemed necessary, and their arms would be deposited in the government armoury, the ministry has said citing the Prevention of Atrocities (POA) Rules.
The home ministry has also suggested 'externment of persons likely to commit atrocity offences from scheduled areas' or tribal areas under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The preventive steps outlined by the MHA also includes seizure of illegal fire arms and deploying special force in identified areas.
The home ministry’s note to states comes ahead of the first meeting convened by the MHA with state home ministers on April 17 to review the implementation of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act across the country. In many states, the chief ministers are holding charge of the home portfolio and will attend the meet which comes a day after the chief ministers conference on Internal Security.
Thirteen states including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka have already identified the 'atrocity prone' or sensitive areas. Latest figures with the home ministry show that there is a high pendency of SC related cases in courts during 2008-2010.