A CONSULTATION meeting was held at Vijayawada on ‘Crimes in the name of Honour and Tradition (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill’ on June 29 by the KVPS AP state committee, an affiliate of the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch. Advocates of AP High court, leaders of KVPS and other dalit organisations attended the meeting that was presided over by Potturi Suresh Kumar. Sunkari Rajendra Prasad, member of AP Bar Council and one of the five member team that drafted the bill has explained in detail the salient features in it. He said that the atrocities against dalits and killings of couples of inter caste marriage is on the rise in an alarming way. The model/draft bill has some sections to prevent these atrocities and to punish the culprits severely. The bill puts the onus on the accused who have to prove that the crime was not committed by them.

V Srinivasa rao, secretary of Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch said that the attacks on the couples of inter caste marriages have been increasing to a dangerous level. The Manch prepared the model/draft bill for prevention of attacks and for protection of the vulnerable people. The model bill will be put before the national executive, scheduled to meet on July 29-30 and will further be strengthened. He said that the Manch will put pressure on the central and state governments to pass this bill. High court advocates Potturi Suresh Kumar and Sasibhushan opined that the police and government machinery should provide protection to inter-caste marriage couples.  KVPS state leaders D Subbarao, A Malyadri and others participated in the consultation meeting.