Bhopal: ‘Sparsh’ kicks off to sensitise SC/ST people of their rights

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Stressing on strengthening the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ the home minister Narottam Mishra said that maintaining social harmony is the top priority and there is a need to sensitize the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes people of their rights to clear their apprehensions and doubts.

The minister was addressing the police officers at the inauguration of a two-day seminar ‘Sparsh’ organised to spread awareness towards Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes here on Thursday.

The minister said that the government is running welfare schemes for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes community members to bring them to the mainstream. However, attempts are being made to poison the social environment by misleading them, said the minister.

He called upon the officers in the seminar to make SC/ST community members aware of their rights and also inform them about the government-run welfare schemes. The minister stressed on the need to clear all the apprehensions and confusion in the minds of the members of the two communities. He also cautioned them against the people polluting the harmonious and peaceful environment.

Speaking of the mediums to be employed to make the people aware, the minister said events like sports competitions , cultural activities for strengthening social harmony in village settlements and localities may yield meaningful results.

Director General of Police Sudhir Kumar Saxena said, “It is the responsibility of all of us to provide social justice as per the preamble of the Constitution. The Constitution is paramount, our source of inspiration. Providing freedom and a fearless working environment to 37 per cent of the people of the state and protecting their rights is very important for social harmony.”

The people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should get the benefits of the schemes without any temptation, pressure and fear at the field level. For this, it is necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the legal provisions, the DGP further said .

Stating that the state government was sensitive towards the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the Additional Director General of Police Rajesh Gupta said that the challan rate of registered crimes in the state is 99 per cent and the conveyance rate is around 77 per cent, which is the highest in the country.

The investigation of crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is being done by an officer of the rank of Inspector, he added.