Govt failed to implement Manual Scavenging Act of 2013: Rahul Gandhi

"Proactive measure must be taken to ensure no further indignity to our fellow citizens and our collective national conscience," he said.

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked the government over deaths of 389 people in the country while manually cleaning sewers from 2015 to 2019 and alleged that it had “failed” to implement the Manual Scavenging Act.

Gandhi’s criticism of the government came after the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry informed the Rajya Sabha that 389 people died in the country while manually cleaning sewers from 2015 to 2019.

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“This shows how badly GOI has failed to implement the Manual Scavenging Act of 2013,” Gandhi tweeted.

“Proactive measure must be taken to ensure no further indignity to our fellow citizens and our collective national conscience,” he said.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said FIRs have been registered against 266 people for engaging people for hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks that resulted in fatalities.