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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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.
