The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said former Supreme Court judge Justice A.K. Goel had given a wrong judgment on the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and hence, his appointment as NGT chairman is not appropriate.
"Justice Goyal had given wrong judgment on SC/ST Atrocities Act. I don't think it is appropriate to appoint him as NGT chairman. I am a part of NDA, but I demand that he should be removed from that post. He has hurt feelings of Dalits," Athawale told ANI.
The retired apex court judge was on July 6 appointed as the chairperson of the NGT for five years.
On March 20, the Supreme Court bench led by Justice Goyal and UU Lalit introduced the provision of anticipatory bail in the SC/ST Atrocities Act and also directed that there will be no automatic arrest on any complaint filed under the Act.
Many political parties and people belonging to Dalit community opposed the judgement, perceiving it as the dilution of the Act.
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