Bharat Bandh over SC-ST reservation verdict sees mixed response across India
New Delhi: The Bharat Bandh called by various groups on Wednesday to protest the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) received a mixed response across the country. The bandh led to significant disruptions in some regions, while others remained largely unaffected.
In Jharkhand, the bandh caused partial disruptions, with public buses staying off the roads and schools closed in several areas, including the capital, Ranchi. Chief Minister Hemant Soren canceled his visit to Palamu due to the strike. The ruling alliance in the state, comprising the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), along with Left parties, supported the bandh. However, the impact varied across the state, with some areas witnessing protests and others continuing business as usual. Security was tightened at key locations to prevent any untoward incidents.
In Madhya Pradesh, the bandh had a minimal impact despite support from veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who voiced concerns over the Supreme Court’s decision. The state home department had issued directives to district authorities to maintain law and order during the bandh, and disruptions were largely kept in check.
Odisha saw partial disruptions in rail and road services, with agitators detaining trains in Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur. Passenger buses refrained from operating on several routes. Despite these interruptions, government offices, banks, and educational institutions functioned normally. Security was beefed up across the state, particularly around the secretariat and other important government buildings.
In Bihar, the bandh briefly disrupted vehicular traffic in some districts. Protesters clashed with security personnel in Jehanabad while attempting to block National Highway-83. Similar attempts were made in Madhepura and Muzaffarpur, but security forces quickly dispersed the protesters. Recruitment exams for police constables continued as scheduled, with the state government ensuring smooth transportation for candidates.
In Rajasthan, some districts observed near-total shutdowns, while others experienced only partial impacts, with essential services continuing largely uninterrupted. The SC-ST Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti's rally in Jaipur attracted significant attention as community members expressed their discontent with the ruling, fearing it could weaken the foundational principles of reservation. Despite the bandh's peaceful nature so far, authorities remained vigilant to ensure public safety and order.
The Bharat Bandh was called by 21 organizations in response to the Supreme Court's August 1 decision, which empowered states to make sub-classifications within SCs and STs for granting reservations. The protesting groups argue that the verdict undermines the basic principles of reservation and could harm marginalized communities.
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11 more bodies retrieved from Arunachal accident site
Itanagar (PTI): Eleven more bodies were retrieved on Saturday from the deep gorge in Arunachal Pradesh's Anjaw district, where a mini-truck on which 22 labourers from Assam were travelling fell, an official said.
With this, 17 bodies have been recovered from the accident site, Anjaw's deputy commissioner Milo Kojin said.
He said three more bodies will be brought out on Sunday.
The operation, being conducted by a joint team of the NDRF and Army, resumed at 6 am.
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"The retrieval process was extremely difficult because of the treacherous terrain, and the gorge is very deep," Kojin said.
The operation was suspended around 4 pm due to low visibility and will be resumed on Sunday morning, he said.
"One person is still missing, and a search operation will be carried out tomorrow," he added.
The accident happened on the evening of December 8, around 40 km from Hayuliang towards Chaglagam in the district. On the evening of December 10, one survivor managed to climb out of the gorge and reach a nearby Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) labour camp, following which the authorities were alerted.
Six bodies were recovered from the gorge on Friday and handed over to their families on Saturday.
