Bharat Bandh Live Updates: Amid protest against SC’s sub-classification verdict, police lathicharge protesters in Patna

The ‘Bharat Bandh' called by some organisations against a recent Supreme Court order on reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) evoked mixed response in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, with normal life remaining largely unaffected, as reported by PTI. 

Protesters vandalised some shops in Chhatarpur city. In several cities and towns, shopkeepers were pressured to shut their shops.

In some places, those affiliated with the organisations that called the daylong bandh, held rallies amid police presence. Heated arguments and ruckus were also seen in a few other places.

Normal life in MP's major cities like Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior remained largely unaffected, though protesters took out the rallies and submitted memorandum to the authorities.

Twenty-one organisations across the country had called for a Bharat Bandh on Wednesday against the recent Supreme Court order on reservation under the Scheduled Castes (SCs) category. The protesting organisations have said that it will harm the basic principles of reservation.

In Chhatarpur, protesters tried to barge into a couple of shops to enforce the bandh, eyewitnesses said.

The Bharat Bandh called by some groups against a recent Supreme Court order on reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) evoked a mixed response in Rajasthan where markets remained closed and public transport services were partially affected, as reported by PTI. 
Rallies and protest march were taken out in all the districts.
The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) has issued orders for safe operation of all its buses.
RSRTC Chairman and MD Sreya Guha said that in view of the Bharat Bandh, all chief managers, managing directors and traffic managers have been directed to remain present at the headquarters.
Twenty-one organisations across the country have called for the Bharat Bandh against the Supreme Court order, which they have said will harm the basic principles of reservation.
The August 1 Supreme Court order held that states are constitutionally empowered to make sub-classifications within SCs, which form a socially heterogeneous class, for granting reservation for the uplift of castes that are socially and educationally more backward among them. 

The Bharat Bandh called by some groups over community-based reservation evoked a mixed reaction in Jharkhand on Wednesday, as vehicular movement was briefly disrupted, several public buses stayed off the roads and schools remained closed, as reported by PTI. 

Chief Minister Hemant Soren has cancelled his visit to Palamu on Wednesday due to the strike, an official said.

Twenty-one organisations across the country have called for the Bharat Bandh against the Supreme Court's August 1 decision on the issue of SC-ST reservation. The organisations have opposed the verdict, contending that it will harm the basic principles of reservation.

The state's ruling alliance – Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal – have extended support to the bandh. The Left parties, too, have backed the strike.

The workers of the ruling alliance were seen taking to the streets in support of the bandh in many parts of the state.

Vehicular movement was affected as protesters burnt tyres and put up blockades at various places in Ranchi. The bandh supporters were also seen asking shopkeepers to down shutters in the state capital.

The day-long ‘Bharat Bandh', called by certain Dalit and Adivasi groups against the Supreme Court's verdict on sub-classification of Scheduled Castes, evoked a mixed response in Chhattisgarh, barring tribal-dominated regions, as reported by PTI. 

Several shops and commercial establishments remained closed in parts of Bastar and Surguja divisions, largely inhabited by tribals, and Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki and Dhamtari districts. The shutdown evoked a mixed response in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Rajnandgaon and Korba districts.

Bastar Division comprises seven districts and Surguja Division six districts.

Transport services largely remained unaffected. Schools, hospitals and other essential services were kept out of the bandh ambit.

In Dantewada district headquarters, a huge motorcycle rally was organised by members of Sarva Adivasi Samaj (SAS), an umbrella body of tribal organisations.

SAS leader Ballu Bhavani claimed the bandh received a good response in Dantewada with people from various sections of society, including traders, extending their support.

Former Union minister and BJP's prominent tribal leader Faggan Singh Kulaste on Wednesday accused the opposition of politicising the Supreme Court's ruling about sub-classification within Scheduled Castes, saying the Centre has already clarified its stand on it, as reported by PTI. 

The MP from Mandla (ST) Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh said, “The judges have given their opinion. I personally along with 60-70 MPs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue. The PM told us that the creamy layer provision (sub-classification) will not be implemented among SCs and STs.” The Union cabinet has also decided that the “apex court's opinion” will not be implemented, he told reporters in Bhopal.

“Despite such clarity and decision of the government, people have called for a Bharat Bandh… They are playing politics. Congress played politics in the name of SCs and STs and Mayawati (BSP chief) is also doing the same,” Kulaste said.

“There could be an opinion of the judges but the government's stand is clear on this issue as it will not be implemented,” he said.

Twenty-one organisations across the country have called for a Bharat Bandh on Wednesday against the Supreme Court's August 1 decision over quota. The organisations have opposed the decision, saying it will harm the basic principles of reservation.

Amid a nationwide strike called by Dalit and Adivasi groups against the Supreme Court’s decision to permit the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), police lathicharged protesters in Bihar’s Patna, news agency ANI reported. Several videos of cops lathicharging protesters are doing the rounds on the Internet. One such video from Bihar’s Patna has caught the attention after a policeman accidentally hit a Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) with a baton. Read more

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— Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) August 21, 2024

In Lucknow, traffic was affected on key routes in and near Hazratganj as BSP workers held a demonstration. In other parts of the city, normal life remained unaffected and markets were open, as reported by PTI. 

The Bharat Bandh had little impact on normal life in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, even as Dalit groups and political parties held demonstrations and marches in parts of the state.

A group of protesters held a march and raised slogans in Agra. BSP workers disrupted traffic on MG road, climbed atop the gate of the collectorate and raised slogans. They also tried to shut shops in the city.

The protesters presented a memorandum to the district magistrate.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Suraj Kumar Rai told reporters, 'Supporters of various organisations presented a memorandum to the district magistrate against the Supreme Court ruling.' 'There was no law and order problem in the city during the protest,' he said.

In Kanpur, some shops near the BSP's office were closed while public buses plied as usual.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Unnao, Aligarh, Muzaffarnagar, Sambhal, Jalaun, Etawah, Mathura, Hathras and Gorakhpur, among other districts.

Protestors occupied railway tracks and forced a goods train to halt in Wadhwan town in Gujarat’s Surendranagar district during the Bharat Bandh against sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for the purpose of quota.

“A group of women occupied railway tracks at a level crossing in Ganpati Fatsar area in Wadhwan at around 10:30 AM as part of their Bharat Bandh in protest of the sub-classification of SCs and STs. Due to the protest, a goods train which was headed to Botad from Surendranagar had to be halted near a station in Wadhwan,” Vishwarajsinh Jadeja, deputy superintendent of police of Surendranagar division told The Indian Express, adding a team of Surendranagar police rushed to the stop to control the situation.

The railways too confirmed the incident. “We have seen photos of people occupying the track and therefore a goods train had to be halted,” Mashooque Ahmad, senior divisional commercial manager of Bhavnagar division of Western Railway said.

Shambhu Singh, public relations inspector of the Bhavnagar division of railway said that Gujarat Railway Police and Railway Protection Force cleared the tracks after some time.  

“We persuaded protestors to clear the railway track and they agreed to withdraw from the tracks to allow resumption of train traffic on that section,” Jadeja, the DySP of Surendranagar division said.

The Bharat Bandh had little impact on normal life in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, even as Dalit groups and political parties held demonstrations and marches in parts of the state, PTI reported today. 

Shops were open and it was business as usual in large parts of the state. Security was tightened in view of the day-long bandh called by some Dalit and Adivasi groups against a recent Supreme Court order on reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs).

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) extended their support to the bandh.

In Lucknow, traffic was affected on key routes in and near Hazratganj as BSP workers held a demonstration. In other parts of the city, normal life remained unaffected and markets were open.

A large number of BSP workers and supporters gathered at Ambedkar Chowk in the heart of Lucknow city for a demonstration.

In Prayagraj, Rapid Action Force personnel in riot gear were deployed to maintain law and order.

As reported by PTI, the day-long Bharat Bandh called by some Dalit and Adivasi groups against the Supreme Court's verdict on sub-classification of Scheduled Castes failed to evoke much response in Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday, even though protests were held at some places.

While essential services had been kept out of the bandh's ambit, public transport as well as shops and other commercial establishments functioned normally.

Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place in the two states to maintain law and order, police said.

Markets and business establishments were open as usual in Punjab's Phagwara. However, some educational institutions were closed by their management as a precautionary measure.

Activists of some organisations working for the welfare of Schedule caste communities took out a protest march from Ambedkar Park in Guru Hargobind Nagar to the underpass of an over-bridge of national highway 44 in Phagwara and staged a dharna there.

As reported by PTI, The day-long Bharat Bandh called by some groups over community-based reservation had no impact in Assam on Wednesday.

Schools, offices and business establishments functioned normally with almost full attendance across the state.

Vehicular traffic was normal and long-distance buses operated according to their schedules. There were no disruptions to railway services, with all trains running on time.

Twenty-one organisations across the country have called for Bharat Bandh against the Supreme Court's August 1 decision on the issue of SC-ST reservation.

The organisations opposed the verdict, contending that it will harm the basic principles of reservation

Several cities across Bihar have witnessed protests over the Supreme Court's order allowing sub-classification of SCs/STs.

Vehiciluar traffic was disrupted on NH-83 in Jehanabad district as security forces clashed with protesters. “Five protestors were detained as they tried to disrupt traffic movement on NH-83 near Unta Chowk. They were later removed from the spot and normality was restored,” said Hulas Baitha, Sub-Inspector, Town police station.

Similar attempts to block traffic were made in Madhepura and Muzaffarpur as well, but the protesters were promptly dispersed by security forces, news agency PTI reported.

According to news agency PTI, normal life remained largely unaffected by the nationwide call for protests against the Supreme Court's order allowing sub-classification of SCs/STs. While elaborate security arrangements were made across the state, shops and schools were shut only in some districts. 

Mobile internet services are suspended in Bharatpur. Members of SC and ST communities gathered at Ram Niwas Garden in Jaipur to take part in a rally which will pass through various markets including Chaura Rasta, Johari Bazar, Tripolia Bazar and MI Road.

Commenting on the nationwide Bharat Bandh today in protest against the Supreme Court's decision on SC/ST reservation, Union Minister Jayant Singh Chaudhary told ANI, "Supreme Court had commented, after which the Law Minister also clarified it in Parliament. The Cabinet has also clarified its opinion, so now there is nothing left..."

Amid nationwide strike called by dalit and adivasi groups against the Supreme Court’s decision to permit the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), police lathicharged protesters in Bihar’s Patna, news agency ANI reported. 

Rail and road connections in Odisha remains affected by the nationwide bharat bandh today. Security has been strengthened in the state secretariat, heads of department building and key places in the sate. Government offices, banks, business establishments and educational institutions are functioning normally, police said.

The Home department said, " .... advised officers and employees of various departments working in the state secretariat and heads of department building to reach office by 9.30 am." 

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh extended support to Bharat Bandh today. In a post on X, Yadav wrote, "The mass movement to protect reservation is a positive effort. It will instill new consciousness among the exploited and deprived and will prove to be a shield of people's power against any kind of tampering with reservation. Peaceful movement is a democratic right,"

"Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar had already warned that the Constitution will only work if the intentions of those implementing it are correct. When the governments in power will tamper with the Constitution and the rights given by it through fraud, scams and scandals, then the public will have to take to the streets. Public movements put a check on unbridled government," Yadav added.

With PTI inputs

Early morning visuals shared by news agency ANI showed the ‘Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti’ demonstrating in Patna. Protesters had also blocked NH-83 in the Jehanabad. Visuals shared by OTV showed protests at Bhubaneswar railway station, disrupting rail services.

Hello and welcome to Bharat Bandh News live blog !  A group of Dalit and Adivasi organisations have called for a nationwide strike today to protest against the Supreme Court’s decision to permit the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). As many as twenty one organisations have called for Bharat Bandh against the SC order.