Bharat Bandh: Schools, colleges to remain shut in Gwalior

The state police have geared up security and have been asked to do proper arrangements, as per the scheduled program.

Latest News: With Section 144 imposed in several districts across Madhya Pradesh in lieu of the 'Bharat bandh' called against amendments of SC/ST Act, all schools and colleges in Gwalior will remain closed on September 6.

The state police have geared up security and have been asked to do proper arrangements, as per the scheduled program.

About 35 organisations have called for a bandh in the state, forcing the government to impose Section 144 in Satna, Bhind, Shivpuri, Gwalior, and other districts.

The Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018 was passed in Lok Sabha on August 6. The Congress party later alleged that the Centre has now passed the bill thinking about next year's Lok Sabha elections.

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News Source: BS

Maratha Quota Stir: Community leaders vow to hold strong protests on August 9

Maratha quota leaders said today that the community members will hold strident protests across Maharashtra on August 9 for the cause.

Maratha Quota Stir: Maratha quota leaders said today that the community members will hold strident protests across Maharashtra on August 9 for the cause. The leaders said they have decided to suspend all communications as part of the protest.

"The state government has not only failed to implement its promises made to the Maratha community before the 2014 assembly elections and in the last four years, but also delayed the procedure of withdrawing police complaints filed against the Maratha youth across the state," said Vinod Pokharkar, a leader of the Maratha Kranti Morcha.

He accused chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders of not keeping the quota promise. Pokharkar claimed that at least 2,000 youths from the community were arrested by the local police under serious charges in the state, following the agitations held last month.

Maratha Kranti Morcha

"With the August 9 protest imminent, the state government ensured that hearing on the cases against the Maratha youth would take place after August 9. This means that these youths will remain behind bars till Thursday," he alleged.

He claimed that not a single police station in districts has received the state government's letter asking them to withdraw charges of non-serious nature against the arrested youths.

Fadnavis had announced last month that the government would withdraw non-serious charges against the Maratha youths. Pokharkar alleged that Fadnavis seemed not keen to withdraw the...continue reading

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News Source : BS

Bharat Bandh: Dalit protest death toll rises to 10

In the wake of violent protests, 16 additional companies of the SSB, four companies of the RAF, two companies of the STF, and 3,000 trainee constables have been deployed across Madhya Pradesh today.

Latest News : The Bharat Bandh called by Dalit groups protesting the apparent dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Prevention of Atrocities Act by the Supreme Court recently left at least ten people dead and hundreds injured as incidents of violence were reported across several states on Monday. Protesters were reported to have blocked trains, clashed with police, and set fire to private and public properties, including police posts. At the moment, reports say schools will remain shut in Uttar Pradesh’s (UP’s) Agra, Hapur, and Ghaziabad over the bandh. Whether schools and colleges in other states and cities, too, will stay closed is not clear yet.

Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi-led government moved the Supreme Court seeking a recall of its judgment on the SC/ST Act. While the SC declined an urgent hearing on a writ petition filed by the All India Federation of SC/ST Organisations against the verdict, the Congress demanded that the Centre bring an amendment to the said law in Parliament or file a “curative petition” in the apex court.

The government will on Tuesday mention the review petition in the top court for an early hearing.

With the Bharat Bandh protest in Madhya Pradesh (MP) claiming six lives, additional police and anti-riot forces are being deployed across the state. The Dalit protest saw curfew being imposed at several places. The Union Home Ministry, for its part, rushed 800 anti-riot policemen to MP and UP, and asked all states to take preventive steps to maintain public order and ensure the safety of lives and property. Thousands of people were detained following widespread incidents of firing, vandalism, and arson across over 10 states, several of them being BJP-ruled.

The Bharat Bandh call was supported by nearly all Opposition parties, which, along with Dalit organisations and Dalit members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, had criticised the SC order on the SC/ST Act and asked the Centre to file a review petition. While the BJP accused Opposition parties of politicising the issue and contributing to the violence, the Opposition alleged that in several places, particularly in Agra and Gwalior, it was BJP workers who attacked protesters. The Congress, for its part, said that the Centre had taken the Bharat bandh call “lightly”, which resulted in the violence.