Dalit groups called Bhart Bandh after SC recently diluted Prevention of Atrocities against SC-ST Act
According to sources Dalit organizations across the country have called a 'Bharat bandh' today to protest a recent Supreme Court ruling diluting the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. According to reports early in the day, movement of trains in Odisha's Sambalpur was blocked by protesters on Monday.
Meanwhile the Bharat bandh has already brought Punjab to a standstill, as CBSE has postponed the board exams scheduled for April 2, and transport services have been suspended. According to a report, several army units have been kept on a standby, should the situation take an ugly turn. Internet services in the state were suspended on Sunday and will remain so through Monday.
Moreover
the Supreme Court will later in the day hear a review petition filed on
the matter by the government. Further the Centre is likely to tell the apex
court that dilution of the Act will render it ineffective and prevent the
dispensing of justice to the marginalized Dalit and tribal communities. In view
of Bharat bandh the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed
class 12 and class 10 examinations in Punjab scheduled to be held on Monday at
the request of the state government.
