The CID police of Tirupati district on Saturday organised an awareness program on ‘Empowerment of Scheduled Tribes and prevention of atrocities against them’ at the conference hall of Sri Padmavathi Mahila University here.
Speaking on this occasion, Additional SP (Tirupati) J. Venkata Rao said that the Government of India had brought various laws to uplift the Scheduled Tribes. The Recognition of Forest Rights (ROFR) Act 2006 was brought in for the welfare of the STs, and some areas were declared as Agency areas for the special protection of tribal communities and their rights. The CID police have been conducting programs to inform them of their rights. “It is the responsibility of all of us to educate the tribal populations as they are not aware of the facilities and rights provided to them legally and constitutionally,” he said.
“Even though the Prevention of Civil Rights Act was brought in 1955 to eradicate caste discrimination and equality, the SC & ST Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989 was enacted because the discrimination against them did not decrease,” he said.
M. Vijayalakshmi, Public Prosecutor, Sc & ST Court, Tirupati, who appeared on behalf of the Department of Justice, spoke about the SC & ST Act and its rules and regulations. She said that when injustice was done to SC & ST in the matter of land and civil cases, criminal cases should filed against the offenders.
District Social Welfare Officer Chennaiah spoke about the freedom of speech, rights, and legal protection provided to the citizens by the Constitution of India.
About 1,000 students from various colleges participated.
