Maratha agitation: NCRB records more crimes against SC/STs in Maharashtra but low conviction rate

After a month-long agitation from the Maratha community, the Maharashtra government, on Wednesday, expressed its willingness to review the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to prevent misuse of the act, one of the key focuses of the agitation. But as the data from the Home ministry suggests, only 14 convictions were made in such cases under the act, raising questions on whether reviewing the said act is a good idea after all.

The report published in The Times of India , said that at least 1,027 atrocity cases were registered across the state in 2016 till July, but the convictions made under the act, remained very low at just 14 convictions this year.

The act was recently amended to include new offences and to ensure speedy justice to victims.

The report also stated that according to data compiled by the state home department, headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, “Maharashtra has witnessed a steady decline in the number of atrocity cases”.

However, according to NCRB records, Maharashtra has been seeing a steady rise in crimes against SC and STs over the last few years, increasing from 1,399 in 2012 to 2,299 by the end of 2015. The total number of crimes against SCs and STs stood at 2,093 in 2013 and 2,211 in 2014.

Between 2014 and 2015, Maharashtra’s share in total crimes against SCs and STs, also increased from a statistically significant 3.8 percent to 4.1 percent. The number included IPC crimes along with the SC/ST (PoA) Act, the Protection of Civil Rights Act, the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act and other SLL crimes against STs.

Surprisingly, on Thursday, The Indian Express report stated that the Fadnavis government is set to recommend to the Centre that changes be made to the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act to ensure that the law is not ‘misused’. “The state will propose that a preliminary verification be carried out by police before an individual is charged under the Act, to ensure people are not ‘falsely implicated’,” it said.

A review of the said act is one of the key demands of the Maratha agitation. The Marathas have been protesting across Maharashtra after the rape and murder of a girl from the community in Kopardi, Ahmednagar, in July.