Bharat Bandh gathers Support from Minority Groups and Left Organisations

The recent Supreme Court ruling has divided the country; some agree to it while others do not. However, the very people that the ruling aims to target seem to be protesting against the decision. The protest has now taken the form of the Bharat Bandh strike called by the Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti on the 21st of August.

What caused the Bandh?

The Schedule Caste and Scheduled Tribe ruling by the supreme court will affect how the people in government institutions are appointed thereby affecting the livelihood of everyone involved. The ruling aims to introduce a sub division of quotas within the existing quotas. These quotas are only meant to be for the less advantaged even within the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The ruling also talked about removing “creamy layer” from the SC/ST category. The latter part of the ruling has been the cause of major controversy. Minority groups and SC/ST organisations feel that this is unfair since it excludes bahujan people from obtaining what is constitutionally guaranteed to them. It is also felt that the ruling undermines the very essence of the country’s reservation system and also increases community divisions. They call the ruling unjust and demand that it be rolled back. To protest against the ruling, the Bandh has been called. Several left parties as well as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) were also seen in support of the Bandh.

What went down during the Bandh?

The strike caused disruptions in transportation and business services although emergency services like hospitals, ambulances, and other medical facilities were still functional. The effects of the Bandh were most prominent in areas with significant tribal and Dalit populations. Educational institutions were closed in seven districts of Rajasthan and markets were closed in the capital city of the state. This also led to the Kota University examinations being postponed in Rajasthan. Kerala and Madhya Pradesh were in a similar state of affairs too. The state of Assam saw no halt in their daily activities despite the strike. In Bihar, protestors blocked certain roadways and highways in Patna, Begusarai and Hajipur. In Patna, the protesters were lathi charged by the police. The road and railway services were affected in Odisha too. Bus services were halted in Jharkhand. Police officials were advised to take extensive steps to ensure the safety of the public during the protests.

The strike saw a nation-wide support but most protesters consisted of people belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes since this policy affects them the most. Prominent political leaders like Akhilesh Yadav from Samajwadi Party, BSP’s Mayawati and several Congress leaders have also extended their support to the protesting groups.