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Congress president Rahul Gandhi has asked all workers across the country in district and state capitals to go on a fast on April 9 to protest the violence against SC/STs during the Bharat Bandh. Three days later, the BJP is expected to fast to protest against the Congress, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar announced.At least 10 people were killed and hundreds others injured on Monday as Dalits groups carried out massive violent protests across northern states against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act.
They went on the rampage to enforce a “Bharat Bandh” and burnt vehicles and police pickets and blocked road and rail traffic across Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand. More than 100 trains were affected across states. Hundreds of protesters were rounded up by the police.
Curfew was imposed in many parts of Madhya Pradesh and Internet services were withdrawn. Central forces were rushed to MP, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. The Army was called in and prohibitory orders banning large gatherings were imposed at some places.
About 40 persons, including over a dozen cops, were injured in violent clashes in UP, particularly in western pockets like Meerut and Agra.
Two police outposts, 100 buses, private vehicles and two wheelers were torched and government offices attacked. About 450 people were arrested.
“The violence looked pre-planned,” said Arvind Kumar, UP’s Principal Secretary Home.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to members of the Dalit community to maintain peace. “The Central government is seized of the matter and is taking measures to safeguard their interests.”
The protests were organised against the March 20 order of the Supreme Court that said the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 was being misused.
It heard a private petition and banned arrests under the Act without prior nod from officials. It also held that a court can grant anticipatory bail in case of false complaints.
Dalit organisations and some political parties said they feared the court’s move would spike violence against Dalits. Protesters carried banners demanding a nationwide shutdown, saying the judgment was diluting the law.
The Centre filed a review petition on Monday, but the court did not grant urgent hearing. As per SC rules, a review petition is decided by judges after it’s circulated among those who give the order under review.
