In a significant development from Kanpur, former Bareilly city magistrate Alankar Agnihotri has issued a stern ultimatum to the central government, demanding the complete withdrawal of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which he has labeled a "black law." Agnihotri, who recently resigned from his administrative position in protest against the University Grants Commission's new regulations, made these statements on Saturday, giving the Centre a strict seven-day deadline to comply with his demand.
From Resignation to Suspension: A Controversial Stand
The Uttar Pradesh government has already taken disciplinary action against Agnihotri following his resignation. He has been suspended from his role as Bareilly city magistrate and as a Provincial State Service officer. Furthermore, the state administration has ordered a comprehensive departmental inquiry against him to investigate the circumstances surrounding his public statements and resignation.
A Nationwide Movement on the Horizon
After returning to his residence in Keshavnagar, Kanpur, Agnihotri escalated his rhetoric by warning of serious consequences if his demands are not met. He explicitly stated that if the government fails to convene a special session of Parliament to address this issue, he will initiate a nationwide protest movement. This threat underscores the intensity of his opposition to the current legal framework.
Questioning the Validity of SC/ST Act Cases
Alankar Agnihotri presented a controversial statistical claim to bolster his argument for repealing the SC/ST Act. He asserted that approximately 75 percent of all cases filed under this legislation are false or fabricated. Based on this assertion, he is demanding that the government not merely amend but entirely scrap the act, arguing that it is being misused on a large scale.
Commenting on Local Political Disputes
Beyond the national issue, Agnihotri also touched upon a regional political conflict in Uttar Pradesh. He referenced the ongoing dispute between BJP Charkhari MLA Brijbhushan Rajput and UP Jal Shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh in Mahoba district. According to Agnihotri, development work in the area has been severely stalled due to the intervention and proceedings of an official commission investigating the matter.
The former magistrate's bold statements have sparked a fresh debate on the implementation and perceived misuse of the SC/ST Act, while his suspension highlights the government's firm response to officials taking public political stands. The coming days will reveal whether his ultimatum leads to any governmental action or, as threatened, mobilizes a broader protest movement across the country.
