Kerala hartal Highlights: Dalit outfit’s leader taken into custody, exams postponed across state

A state transport official at the Ernakulam bus stand said that buses in several parts of the district are beig stopped and not being allowed to operate by protesters. Buses which have gone from Ernakulam to Eramallur, paravur, guruvayur, ramapuram, Palakkad have not returned. No major damage to buses has been reported as of now. Services in high range areas like Munnar and Kumily are not operating.

KSRTC buses sought police protection (In picture: Ernakulam bus stand/ Source: Express photo)

Trade organisations in Kochi have boycotted the strike and majority shops are open in the area. The metro services are running as normal and several KSRTC buses are plying with police protection

Teachers who were to reach the Class X examinations paper valuation camp in Kerala's Kollam were held up after traffic was halted. "Don't think we can reach the camp on time. We decided to come after the state government had assured us that traffic would not be stopped and the police had taken all steps to prevent it. But now we are stranded," said a group of female teachers.

-IANS

Meanwhile, Congress leaders are also staging a nation-wide fast to protest against the violence which broke out during Bharat Bandh organised by Dalit organisations. Congress leader AK Anthony and Shashi Tharoor led the fast at Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters. Follow Congress protest LIVE Updates

Joined @INCIndia leader AK Antony as he commences a day-long fast in solidarity w/ the Dalit cause with a rousing speech at KPCC headquarters. Party leaders in full strength despite today's hartal. pic.twitter.com/HABpnRjyW4

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 9, 2018

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during Express Adda said that the Modi government was committed to ensuring that the SC/ST Atrocities Act is not diluted. She added that it was a court that had ordered change in provisions of the SC/ST Act. “These decisions are not of the government. The dilution in the Act would mean that a few benefits given to the Dalits, just to take their fight for justice a bit forward, will all go. We are not in favour. We will not dilute it." Read more

According to a report in the News Minute Valappad in Thrissur,  a KSRTC driver sustained minor injury after stones were hurled at the bus.

Exams under the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), Calicut and Kannur universities will be conducted as per schedule. The Calicut University has also rescheduled the practical examination of sixth semester BSc Botany in Thrissur to April 16. All exams scheduled to be held on Monday by Kerala University, Calicut University and Cusat have also been postponed in the wake of the bandh call in the state, reported Manorama

Kerala Engineering College Managements’ Association said that while they sympathised with the hartal call, all engineering colleges across the state will continue to function normally as portions were yet to be completed and model examinations were already on, reported The Hindu

According to a report in The News Minute, Dalit outfits protesting are also demanding that the killing of Dalits in Madhya Pradesh, UP and Rajasthan during Bharat bandh be inquired by a judicial committee. They also want the murder cases to be registered and compensation for the kin of the deceased. 

#Kerala: Members of Dalit community organisations stage protest in Thiruvananthapuram over SC/ST Act issue. pic.twitter.com/WstiaLqCmA

— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2018

Welcome to the live blog. Various Dalit outfits have given a dawn-to-dusk bandh call in Kerala to protest the alleged dilution of the SC-ST Act. Follow this space to track all the latest developments from the state