खालीलपैकी कोणती कृत्ये अनुसूचित जाती व अनुसूचित जमाती (अत्याचार प्रतिबंध) कायदा 1989 च्या अंतर्गत दंडनीय अपराध आहेत ?
(a) अनुसूचित जाती/जमातीची नाही अशा A या व्यक्तीने अनुसूचित जाती/जमातीच्या B या व्यक्तिस किळसवाणा पदार्थ खाणे भाग पाडले.
(b) अनुसूचित जातीच्या A या व्यक्तीने आपल्याच जातीच्या B या व्यक्तीची जमीन अवैध मार्गाने हडप केली.
(c) अनुसूचित जाती/जमातीच्या नसलेल्या A या व्यक्तीने अनुसूचित जाती/जमातीच्या सर्व व्यक्तींना त्याच्या खाजगी मंदिरात येऊन पूजा करण्यास परवानगी दिली नाही.
(d) अनुसूचित जातीच्या A या व्यक्तीने आपल्या ऑफीसमधील उच्चवर्णीय (अनुसूचित जाती/जमातीची नसलेल्या) महिला लिपिकाची लैंगिक छळणूक केली.

पर्यायी उत्तरे :

The correct answer is Option C ((a) only).

Key Points:
• Essential Elements of Section 3 of SC & ST (PoA) Act, 1989:
• An offence under this Act is committed only when a person who is NOT a member of an SC or ST commits the specified act against a member of an SC or ST.
• Statement (a): A (non-SC/ST) compelling B (SC/ST) to eat an inedible or obnoxious substance directly satisfies Section 3(1)(a) and constitutes a punishable atrocity.
• Statement (b): Both offender and victim belong to SC; offences committed by an SC against another SC are governed by the Indian Penal Code, not the PoA Act.
• Statement (c): Restricting entry into a strictly private temple does not fall under public place worship offences under the PoA Act (public places/temples are covered under the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955).
• Statement (d): The offender belongs to SC and the victim is non-SC/ST; the Act does not apply.
• Therefore, (a) only is a punishable offence under this specific Act (Option 3).
• Key Takeaway: PoA Act applies only when an atrocity is committed by a non-SC/ST against an SC/ST member (e.g., forcing ingestion of inedible items).