SC/ST Commission to oppose ''judicial interference'': Buta

Phagwara, Jan 20 (UNI) Taking strong exception to the recent legal verdict that the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission's recommendations are ''not mandatory'', its chairman Buta Singh today asserted that the Commission would take up the matter in the Parliament.

Talking to newspersons here today, Mr Singh said the judiciary's ''undue interference'' in Commission's matters was not acceptable and it would protest the verdict in which the judiciary has said that recommendations of the Commission could not be described as mandatory but should be taken as advice.

''The commission is answerable to President of India so the judiciary should avoid undue interference in the Commission's purviews of rights.'' He said the Commission would knock the doors of Parliament through Parliament Forum for SC, Parliament Committee for SC, all Schdeuled Caste MPs of all political parties and standing committee of Parliament to safeguard the rights of the Commission.

Replying to a question he reiterated that atrocities against SC/ST were still prevalent in several states including Punjab and Haryana.

''The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are being discriminated in Punjab as more than two hundred head masters were recruited in Punjab in three different phases, but none of the dalits could be recruited. The situation is same in the cases of promotions in education department,'' he alleged.

When asked whether he could again enter active politics, he said, ''Yes, I will contest next Lok Sabha elections at every cost.'' When asked which state would be preferred by him Rajasthan or Punjab, he said that he will consider the matter at an appropriate time.

On being asked about ongoing controversy on Turban Ban in France and the visit of French Prime Minister on Republic Day, Mr Singh said he would personally meet the Franch Prime Minister to take up the issue and to convince him to lift the turban ban in France.

He said he would also urge Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seriously take up the turban issue with French Prime Minister.

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