New Delhi, Nov 25 As Jagadguru Rambhadracharya on Tuesday stirred controversy by stating that the SC/ST Act should be repealed because the Vedas do not mention Avarnas or Savarnas, the Congress hit back, asserting that the country is governed by the Constitution, not by religious scriptures.
Speaking to IANS, Congress MP Tariq Anwar said: "Our country functions according to our Constitution; it does not operate based on the Vedas, the Quran, or the Bible. They need to understand this."
Congress' UP President Ajay Rai added: "Everyone in this country has equal rights—whether SC/ST, forward or backward, Dalit, Adivasi, Hindu, or Muslim. Everyone deserves respect and the right to live with equality."
Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal said: "We don’t need to go far back into Vedic times. What we need to acknowledge is whether, for centuries, SCs and STs were not oppressed. Freedom was meant for everyone, not just a select few. Yet even after 70 years, much inequality and deprivation remain."
He further noted that the situation for these communities is still extremely difficult.
"We must continue with reservations until they are equally empowered. Social justice is essential. Whatever he has said ignores their rights. But anyone in the administration will not support such a stance," the former Union Minister told IANS.
Earlier in the day, speaking to IANS, Rambhadracharya said: "The SC/ST Act should be repealed. The Vedas do not mention Avarnas or Savarnas; these political leaders have initiated this system… I would say that there should be no reservation based on caste."
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, was enacted to prevent atrocities against members of these communities. It provides for special courts to try such offences, outlines punishments, and includes provisions for the relief and rehabilitation of victims.
The Act also mandates public servants to perform their duties concerning SC/ST communities.
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