Crimes against SCs, STs increased in 2019: Govt tells Rajya Sabha

The government on Wednesday told Rajya Sabha that crimes against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the country increased by 7.3 per cent and 26.5 per cent respectively in 2019.

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, however, said police and public order are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution and the responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of citizens including investigation and prosecution of crime against members of SCs and STs rest with respective state governments.

“Yes, sir,” was the reply of Reddy when asked whether it is a fact that crimes against members of SCs and STs communities have increased by 7.3 per cent and 26.5 per cent respectively in 2019 as per the latest ''Crime in India-2019'' report of the National Crime Records Bureau.