Bharat Bandh against SC/ST Act Amendment: Security beefed up in many states; protests turn violent

Security has been tightened in Madhya Pradesh and prohibitory orders have been issued under section 144 of Crpc in some areas before the 'Bharat bandh' on September 6 called by 35 organisations in the state in protest against the SC/ST Amendment Act. Schools are also ordered to be closed due to Bandh in several districts in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.

In Bihar, demonstrators stopped trains, burnt tyres and blocked roads on occasion of the ongoing Bharat Bandh protests on Thursday morning.

Protesters stopped trains in Bihar’s Darbhanga and Munger district. As a precaution against the Bandh high alert was issued in 35 districts of Madhya Pradesh as well as thirty-four companies of security forces and 5000 security personnel were deployed along with Section 144 being imposed in many districts of the state.

Thousands of protesters spoke for the 'upper caste organisations' on Thursday took to the streets across the country so as to protest against the amendments in the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Makrand Deuskar, Inspector General of Police (Intelligence), of Madhya Pradesh said, "Through the social media and pamphlets, we came to know that some organisations are planning a Bharat Bandh against the amendments in the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following which the security has been beefed up in the state,"

Dharmendra Sharma, national president of Brahma Samagam Sawarna Jankalyan Sangathan's said that about 150 organisations of upper castes and OBCs would participate in the Bharat bandh against the amendments in SC/ST Act. Sharma said,"We will protest peacefully on September 6. Through this protest, we will demand a withdrawal of this black law. All the sections except SC/ST are affected due to this amendment. We will also write letters to all MPs of the country,"

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At the same time in Rajasthan, high alert has been issued in 10 districts with a strict vigil being maintained in all the violence-prone areas. Concerned authorities besides appealed to various social groups not to take law and order into their hands during the bandh across India.

In Noida also many social groups representing people from the "unreserved" category in Gautam Buddh Nagar will launch a march on Thursday as a protest to the amendments in the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.The groups said they also hold opposition against the reservation system on the premise of caste and religion and batted for a quota system based on economic status.

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