Which of the following incidents are identified as violative of ‘The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989’?
A. Violence by ‘upper caste’ people against Scheduled Caste people.
B. Forcing a member of a Scheduled Caste community to eat an obnoxious substance.
C. Allowing non-tribal timber merchants to exploit tribal land.
D. Marrying a member of Scheduled Caste community.
Choose the correct option:

Correct option is B

The correct answer is A, B, and C as these incidents fall under violations of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Violence by "upper caste" people against Scheduled Caste individuals, forcing a member of a Scheduled Caste community to consume obnoxious substances and exploitation of tribal land by non-tribal merchants are clear violations under this Act. Marrying a member of a Scheduled Caste community, however, is not considered a violation under this Act.

Information Booster:

·       Violence by ‘upper caste’ individuals against Scheduled Castes is explicitly prohibited by the Act, as it aims to protect Scheduled Castes from caste-based violence.

·       Forcing a member of a Scheduled Caste community to eat or drink obnoxious substances is a recognized form of caste-based discrimination and abuse under the Act.

·       Allowing non-tribal timber merchants to exploit tribal land is a form of economic exploitation of tribal communities, violating their rights.

·       Marrying a member of a Scheduled Caste is not a violation under this law, as the Act focuses on protecting against atrocities, not regulating marriage.

Additional Knowledge:

·       Violence by ‘upper caste’ people against Scheduled Castes (SC): The Act criminalizes physical violence or intimidation based on caste. Any attempt by an upper caste individual to harm or harass an SC member based on their caste identity is punishable under this law.

·       Forcing a Scheduled Caste member to eat obnoxious substances: This refers to acts of humiliation and degradation, which are common forms of discrimination. The Act ensures severe punishment for such inhuman behavior aimed at the SC/ST communities.

·       Allowing non-tribal merchants to exploit tribal land: This pertains to the economic exploitation of tribal resources by non-tribal individuals, which the Act seeks to prevent. The Act emphasizes the protection of tribal rights, including land and natural resources.

·       Marrying a member of a Scheduled Caste community: Inter-caste marriages are not violative of the law. In fact, the government encourages inter-caste marriages as a way to reduce caste-based discrimination.