Akhilesh Yadav backs Bharat Bandh against SC verdict on SC/ST reservations
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has expressed support for the Bharat Bandh called on Wednesday to protest the Supreme Court's ruling that permits sub-classification within reservation categories for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
Yadav spoke on the importance of the mass movement to protect reservations, describing it as a positive effort that would instill new consciousness among the exploited and deprived sections of society. He asserted that peaceful protest is a democratic right and a powerful tool against any attempt to undermine the reservation system.
"The mass movement to protect reservations 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," Yadav stated in a post on X.
Yadav further warned that the public must take to the streets if the government attempts to tamper with the Constitution and the rights of people through fraudulent means.
"Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar had already warned that the Constitution will only work if the intentions of those implementing it are correct. When the governments in power tamper with the Constitution and the rights given by it through fraud, scams, and scandals, then the public will have to take to the streets. Public movements put a check on unbridled government," he added.
The 'Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti' has called for a day-long Bharat Bandh to protest the Supreme Court's recent judgment on reservations.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has also extended her support to the Bharat Bandh, citing widespread anger and resentment among SC/ST communities over the court's decision. She accused parties like the BJP and Congress of conspiring to make reservations ineffective.
The Supreme Court's landmark ruling on August 1, delivered by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, held that states have the authority to sub-classify SCs and STs and suggested that the state develop a policy for identifying the creamy layer within these groups. The judgment overturned a previous ruling that had deemed sub-classification impermissible.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
