Karnataka government to establish 33 Special Police Stations for SC/ST atrocity cases
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government announced on Thursday the establishment of 33 police stations dedicated to handling cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities. This initiative is aimed to improve the efficiency of investigations and increase the currently low conviction rates for such cases.
The state government plans to fill 450 vacancies in these new stations to ensure they operate effectively. This move is part of a broader effort to enhance the enforcement of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989.
Karnataka joins states like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala, which have already implemented similar measures. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah previously highlighted this initiative in his 2023-24 budget, focusing on strengthening the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement.
The state Cabinet has approved the creation of one special police station per district, with Bengaluru receiving two. Each station will be headed by an IPS officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of Police. The total expenditure for establishing and maintaining these stations is estimated to be around Rs 73 crore annually.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil, speaking after the Cabinet meeting, noted that local police forces are currently overburdened with various responsibilities, including law and order maintenance, traffic control, providing security to dignitaries, and election duties. This workload has adversely affected the efficiency of police investigations, particularly in cases of atrocities against SC/ST communities.
Minister Patil emphasized that the new specialized police stations would ensure quicker and more focused investigations of atrocity cases. He acknowledged the low conviction rates, citing that out of 7,633 registered cases since 2022, only 1,723 had been disposed of, with 1,363 acquittals and just 68 convictions—a mere 4 percent conviction rate.
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Cong leader Prithviraj Chavan defiant after facing verbal missiles on Op Sindoor remarks
Mumbai (PTI): Despite facing criticism, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday stood by his controversial comments that India faced a "total defeat" in aerial fight with Pakistan on the first day of Operation Sindoor on May 7.
The former Union minister refused to apologise for his comments on the Indian military operation against terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK in aftermath of massacre of tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in April.
Talking to reporters in Pune on Tuesday, Chavan claimed India faced a "total defeat in the aerial fight (with Pakistan) on May 7 which lasted for half-an-hour".
"One may believe this or not. After that the Indian Air Force got grounded and not a single aircraft took flight that day.... be it Gwalior, Bhatinda or Sirsa, there was a possibility of aircraft being shot down, so our complete Air Force was grounded," the former Maharashtra chief minister had said.
Hitting out at Chavan, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accused the Congress of speaking the language of Pakistan. He said questioning the military action was akin to demoralising the morale of armed forces.
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"The criticism does not stem from the love of the nation, but love for Pakistan," said the chief leader of the Shiv Sena, a key constituent of the BJP-led NDA.
Chavan, however, remained defiant.
"There is no question of apologising. The Constitution has given me the right to ask questions," the Congress veteran asserted.
Chavan also questioned the need of having a 12-lakh strong Army when future wars will be about aerial combats and missiles. "During Operation Sindoor we saw that there was no movement of the Army even for a kilometre," he had said.
BJP Lok Sabha MP and spokesperson Sambit Patra said Chavan's remarks are loaded with sedition.
"He (Chavan) has refused to apologise. The Indian armed forces struck 100 kms inside the Pakistan territory and destroyed 11 air strips (of the Pakistani Air Force). He made remarks that the Indian Army did not even move an inch (during the military operation). This is nothing but a statement full of sedition, a statement of a traitor," Patra said, lashing out at the Congress leader.
The BJP spokesperson maintained the Congress appears to be standing with Chavan and alleged the Opposition party is playing into foreign hands.
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should apologise for it, he added.
Union minister Giriraj Singh of the BJP insisted it was not right to devalue the valour of Indian armed forces.
Samajwadi Party MP Virendra Singh suggested that wherever armed forces are concerned, every Indian should be mindful of statements they make and ensure their comments do not demoralise the military.
Operation Sindoor was a result of "mistakes of politicians", he claimed.
TDP MP Krishna Devraylu said after the poll defeat in Bihar, the Congress is rattled and their leaders have been talking absurdly.
"Chavan's remarks are a prime example of this. This kind of disrespect to our armed forces is not necessary. If the Congress is angry with the NDA, it should show it in a different way and not drag armed forces into it," Devraylu opined.
AAP MP Ashok Mittal said such statements should not be made by any senior politician, especially by someone who has been a former chief minister.
The Indian armed forces registered a strong victory and destroyed terror launchpads in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Mittal added.
