By IANS
New Delhi : The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Friday said it was not able to initiate action against farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait on charges of passing casteist remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in the absence of information about what he had said.
“We want authenticated documents to take suo motu cognisance of what Tikait said against Mayawati. Our repeated efforts to get the details from the state administration have yielded no results,” NCSC chairman Buta Singh told the media here.
The panel, at an emergency meeting Thursday, decided not to issue any notice to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader without an authenticated report from the state administration.
Singh expressed dismay over Mayawati’s allegation that Buta Singh ignored Tikait’s diatribe against her at a rally in Bijnor despite being the chairman of the panel supposed to act as the custodian of Dalit dignity and interests.
“I immediately condemned Tikait’s remarks as soon as I came to know about his utterances. Still Mayawati chose to level unfounded allegations against me. She has humiliated me once again. I am shocked,” Singh said.
When asked if the panel would initiate action against Tikait, Singh said: “We will certainly initiate proceedings against him, but the district administration has not submitted a detailed report though the panel made several attempts.
“The commission, however, will try to secure details on its own. Summons will certainly be issued to Tikait once the crime is established. I hope the state government co-operates in this regard.”
Singh, a Congress veteran and former home minister, also narrated how Mayawati’s personal staff did not allow him to speak to her and asked humiliating questions like who Buta Singh was and if he headed the national women’s commission.
Mayawati also came in for criticism from other panel members, who accused her of being “anti-Scheduled Castes” alleging her government had tampered with the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
“As recently as October 2007, the state government informed senior police officials that the provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 will be made applicable only in the cases of rape and murder. Is this what Mayawati wants to do for the weaker sections?” asked Satya Bahin, a panel member.
“Mayawati is known for double standards in dealing with the issue of Scheduled Castes. Her government has failed to protect the interests of Dalits in the state. But she targets others when someone attacks her,” said Mahendra Boddh, another panel member.
Mayawati Wednesday sought the resignation of Minister of State for Home Shriprakash Jaiswal and also Buta Singh for allegedly siding with Tikait over his allegedly abusive remarks against her.