Bharat Bandh against Supreme Court order on quota most effective in Bihar, Jharkhand, tribal belts

The daylong nationwide strike called by some Dalit and Adivasi groups against the Supreme Court's verdict on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes affected normal life in Bihar and Jharkhand as well as tribal areas of various states. Police baton-charged and used water cannons on protesters in several districts of Bihar, including Patna, Dharbhanga and Begusarai, to remove rail and road blockades, while in Jharkhand and Odisha public transport services were partially affected. The response was tepid in other parts of the country even as several INDIA bloc parties as well as other non-BJP outfits extended their support to the bandh. The Chhattisgarh unit of the Congress said the government should consider the "legitimate demands" of the protesters sympathetically. However, the BJP's prominent tribal leader Faggan Singh Kulaste accused the opposition of politicising the Supreme Court's ruling on the issue. Twenty-one organisations across the country had called for the Bharat Bandh against the apex court's order, which they said would harm the basic principles of reservation. The protesters put up rail and road blockades in several districts of Bihar, and police used batons and water cannons to disperse them. Darbhanga and Buxar witnessed disruption in train services while traffic was blocked in Patna, Hajipur, Darbhanga, Jehanabad, and Begusarai districts.

The Bihar Police on Wednesday lathi-charged and used water cannons to disperse protesters who put up rail and road blockades in support of the Bharat Bandh over community-based reservation. Protesters disrupted train services at Darbhanga and Buxar railway stations and blocked traffic in Patna, Hajipur, Darbhanga, Jehanabad, Purnea, Katihar, Muzaffarpur and Begusarai districts following which police baton-charged to quell them.

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. "Barring two-three minor incidents that took place at different places, the bandh was peaceful across the state," Director-General of Police (DGP) U R Sahoo said. In the last 10 days, police officials held multiple meetings at various levels with market and transport associations to ensure the bandh was observed peacefully and law and order situation remained under control, DGP Sahoo said. Many markets across the state remained closed in view of the bandh call.

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. 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. He said that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had also protected the reservation.

Protesters blocked a goods train and roads as the daylong ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Wednesday, called by certain Dalit and Adivasi groups against the Supreme Court’s verdict on sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs), evoked mixed reactions across Gujarat. The effects of the bandh were clearly seen in regions dominated by tribal and Dalit communities in districts like Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Surendranagra, Sabarkantha, and Aravalli where markets in cities and semi-urban areas remained closed.
Protesters blocked a goods train in Wadhwan taluka of Surendranagar district and shouted slogans, with the police reaching the site to disperse the crowd.

The Bihar Police lathi-charged and used water cannons to disperse protesters who put up rail and road blockades in support of Bharat Bandh over community-based reservation.
Protesters disrupted train services at Darbhanga and Buxar railway stations and blocked traffic in Patna, Hajipur, Darbhanga, Jehanabad, and Begusarai districts following which police baton-charged to quell them. In Patna, police chased away crowds who blocked traffic at Dak Bungalow Chowk. "Security personnel lathicharged to disperse protestors who blocked movement of traffic at Dak Bungalow Chowk and broke police barricades. No one was injured in the incident. The situation is under control now," Patna SSP Rajeev Mishra told media.

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.

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. 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.

On the Bharat Bandh called by 21 organisations against the Supreme Court order allowing sub-categorisation in SC and ST categories, bus service came to a halt in Jharkhand. Schools also remained close in the state.

Bhim Army workers came to the ground to enforce the Bharat bandh in multiple cities of Bihar, including Jehanabad, Patna and Motihari. In Motihari, Bhim Army workers held a procession in support of the bandh and blocked NH-28. 

Patna City SDM Shrikant Kundlik Khandekar was hit by a baton during a lathi charge by the police over bandh supporters. The policeman mistook SDM, who was in civil uniform, for a protester. 

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal accused the opposition of misleading people. He said, "After a cabinet decision, the PM said that the creamy layer is not implemented in SC/ST and is not a part of this judgment." 

DSP Patna, Ashok Kumar Singh said, "It was not a peaceful protest, they were law and order in their hands. The common people could not travel and we tried to convince them (agitators). But they did not understand. We had to use mild force to move them back."

During Bharat Bandh, Congress coerced the owners of open shops to shut down in Nagpur. Congress said that the government wants to impose the ideology of RSS, which will never be tolerated. The effect of the Bharat Bandh was seen in Kamal Chowk of North Nagpur in Nagpur, many workers of Dalit organizations including Congress workers were on the streets and they were closing down the open establishments, they said that they would never tolerate the oppressive policies of the government.

Amid the protests by the Bharat bandh supporters, the Patna Police resorted to lathi charge. 

Vehicular traffic was briefly disrupted in parts of Bihar on Wednesday, as protestors put up blockades in support of the Bharat Bandh called by some groups over community-based reservation. In Jehanabad district, agitators clashed with security personnel when they tried to block traffic movement on National Highway-83, police said. 

“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 at town police station.

Bharat Bandh supporters blocked a road near DRM (Divisional Railway Manager) office in Danapur, Bihar

At Dak Bungalow intersection, police are fully prepared to stop Bharat Bandh supporters. Barricades have been set up in anticipation of Bhim Army members approaching from various directions. The protesters are just 50 meters away from the intersection, raising concerns about a potential clash. Stay tuned to the live feed for updates.

Amid the nationwide Bharat Bandh today, organized to protest the Supreme Court's decision on SC/ST reservation, Union Minister Jayant Singh Chaudhary addressed the situation. He stated, "The Supreme Court had made its comments, following which the Law Minister provided clarification in Parliament. The Cabinet has also expressed its opinion on the matter, so there is nothing left to address." His remarks come as protests continue across the country in response to the court's decision.

Protesters block the Bihar Sampark Kranti train, running between Darbhanga and Delhi, at Darbhanga railway station.

Along with Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) RJD and Congress also extended support to the protests. Protestors are demanding the Supreme Court to revisit its decision.  

People face difficulties in commuting as private bus services remain suspended in some areas of Jharkhand.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday backed the day-long Bharat Bandh called by some groups over community-based reservation, noting that "public movements" put a check on "unbridled government". The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister took to social media platform X to share his views on the issue.

"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," he posted in Hindi.

Former UP CM and BSP Chief Mayawati said, "BSP supports Bharat Bandh because there is anger and resentment against the Supreme Court's decision regarding sub-classification of SC/ST and creamy layer in them on 1 August 2024 due to the conspiracy against reservation by parties like BJP and Congress and their collusion to make it ineffective and finally end it."

Banks will continue to function and will remain unaffected by the Bharat Bandh call made by Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti.

The Bahujan Samaj Party on Wednesday extended support to the day-long Bharat Bandh called by some Dalit and Adivasi groups to protest against the Supreme Court's recent verdict on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs).

The party also accused the BJP and the Congress of colluding to end reservation. It said these parties and others should understand the necessity of reservation and not play with it.

The effect of Bharat Bandh has been seen in Bihar's Nawada since morning. However, the agitators are restricted by police due to the constable recruitment exam. Under the leadership of Scheduled Caste/Tribe Sangharsh Morcha president Sanjay Paswan alias DC, peaceful agitation is being carried out at all places including Prajatantr Chowk and Sadbhavna Chowk of the city.  

The Bharat Bandh supporters blocked the NH 83 in Unta in Bihar's Jehanabad

The NACDAOR has also demanded the immediate release of caste-based data on SC/ST/OBC employees in government services to ensure their accurate representation.

The National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) has released a list of demands, including justice and equity for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

The emergency services such as Ambulance, Emergency, Hospitals and medical, Police services and Pharmacies will remain open during the Bharat Bandh.

The Bharat Bandh has been called by Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti against the SC order of sub-categorisation in SC and ST categories.