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A week after Bharat Bandh, various Dalit outfits in Kerala have called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal to condemn the alleged violence against the community during the protests held across north India on April 2. The Dalit outfits are also protestng the alleged dilution of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
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According to media reports, outfits including the Cheramar Sambavar Development Society (CSDS), Akhila Kerala Cheramar Hindu Mahasabha, National Dalit Liberation Front, Dalit Human Rights Movement, Kerala Cheramar Sangham, Social Liberation Front, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Dravida Varga Aikya Munnani have extended their support to the bandh.
While security has been beefed up across the state, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has sought police protection to run its buses on the road. The Kerala Private Bus Operators Federation has also said that it will operate its bus services on Monday. Read in Malayalam Read less
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In the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, a group of Dalit activists took out a march to the Secretariat and staged a 'dharna'. The opposition Congress-led UDF has extended support to the hartal, reported PTI
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.
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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
Advasi Gothra Maha Sabha leader Geethananda and his supporters was taken into custody on Monday for blocking roads to prevent vehicles from plying. He, however, suggested that the protest was already a success. "The report that we have got from across the state is that by and large the protest appears to have become a success... There is no reason for taking us into custody," Geetanandan said, reported IANS
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
The Mahatma Gandhi University has postponed all the exams that were to be held today. While second year B Pharm exams are rescheduled to April 16, all other exams will be held on April 23
Many traders and organisations have boycotted the bandh saying that they have been badly hit because of frequent strikes in the state. Buses including KSRTC are plying on the road. Protesters are however forcibly stopping their movement
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.
Essential services, including hospitals, milk, wedding functions and newspapers have been exempted from the strike
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