Home Minister P Chidambaram today said that the country can not grow without the development and improvement in the status of Schedule Castes, SCs and Schedule Tribes, STs . He said SCs and STs are about the 25 per cent of total population and the nation can not afford to leave behind this part of population.

Inaugurating the Home Ministers' Conference on effective implementation of Prevention of atrocities against SC- ST act in New Delhi, Mr. Chidambaram expressed concern over the non access of Dalits to the Police Stations and termed it as the changing forms of untouchability.

The Home Minister said that much more can be done to prevent atrocities against SCs and STs by the local administration . He said that if District Magistrate is determined a lot of improvement can be brought in the status of Dalits.