<P> The post-Independence era was marked by frequent instances of atrocities springing up across the country: for example, the assassination of the young, educated Dalit leader Emmanuel Sekaran in Tamil Nadu for defying the untouchability - based interdicts on SCs, which resulted in the Ramanathapuram riots of 1957; the Kilavenmani massacre of 42 Dalits in 1968 in Tamil Nadu; the gruesome killing of Dalit Kotesu in Kanchikacherla in 1969 in Andhra Pradesh; the killings of 10 STs by police in connection with a land dispute in Indravalli in Andhra Pradesh in 1978 . All such events shook the then national leadership . Hence, under pressure from Dalit MPs, the Government of India started monitoring atrocities against SCs from 1974, and in the case of STs from 1981 onwards, with special focus on murder, rape, arson and grievous hurt . </P> <P> Atrocities continued to rise with ferocity and frequency--for example, in Bihar the massacres of SCs at Belchi in 1979 and at Pipra in 1980; in Uttar Pradesh the massacre following a SC bridegroom riding on horseback at Kafalta in 1980; in Madhya Pradesh the killing of Bacchdas in Mandsaur district in 1982; in Bihar the killing in police firing on 15 STs at Banjhi in Sahibganj district in 1985 . In all such cases, the Indian State at both the national and state levels avoided addressing basic contradictions, vulnerabilities and causative factors; the treatment was mainly symptomatic and palliative instead of the required radical solutions . Under continued pressure from Dalit MPs and political leaders, the magnitude and gravity of the problem was finally recognised by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi . In his Independence Address on 15 August 1987, he announced that an Act would be passed, if necessary, to check atrocities . </P> <P> A study conducted by the National Commission for SCs and STs in 1990 on Atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes: Causes and Remedies pointed out various causal factors for atrocities: land disputes; land alienation; bonded labour; indebtedness; non-payment of minimum wages; caste prejudice and practice of untouchability; political factions on caste lines; refusal to perform traditional works such as digging burial pits, arranging cremations, removing carcasses of dead animals and beating drums; etc . The deep root for such atrocities is traceable to the caste system, which "encompasses a complete ordering of social groups on the basis of the so - called ritual purity . A person is considered a member of the caste into which s / he is born and remains within that caste until death...." </P> <P> Considered ritually impure, SCs have been physically and socially excluded from mainstream society, denied basic resources and services, and discriminated against in all areas of life . Accordingly, they face various forms of exploitation, insults and violence, as well as degrading practices of untouchability . The Scheduled Tribes were equally exploited on grounds of not falling within the caste system but having a distinct culture and worldview of their own . "Women belonging to these castes and tribes bore double burden . They were exploited by caste and gender, and were vulnerable to and powerless against sexual exploitation ." </P>

Scheduled caste and scheduled tribe (prevention of atrocities) act 2015