Prevention of Atrocities against SC/STs amendment Bill tabled in Lok Sabha

In a major decision taken in the interest of the SC/ST community, the govt tabled the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha on Friday to restore the provisions of the Act to their status prior to Supreme Court’s 20th March order.

The new bill had got the nod of the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. The move comes in the backdrop of the demand of Dalit organisations to restore the original provisions that stipulate immediate arrest of the accused upon registration of FIR and rule out anticipatory bail for the accused.

In the afternoon, the Lower House discussed and passed the National Sports University Bill….that seeks to establish such a university in Manipur.

The bill aims to make India a powerhouse of sports promote physical education, sports science, sports training and sports technology.

The bill provides for appointing sportspersons as the university vice-chancellor, and to all its committees.

In Rajya Sabha, replying to a question during the Question Hour, Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad informed that after the government asked social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to find technological solutions so that rumours and fake news do not proliferate on their platforms. The social media platforms had blocked close to 700 URLs.

In response to another question, he said that Direct Benefit Transfer has ensured savings of over Rs 90,000 crore by eliminating middlemen.

The Bill that accords constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes is expected to be taken up in Rajya Sabha next week whereas Lok Sabha is likely to discuss the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Amendment bill on Monday.