22 august 2024 : The Bharat Bandh, which was organized by certain Dalit and Adivasi groups in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes, did not garner significant support in Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday, despite some localized protests. Essential services were exempt from the bandh, allowing public transportation, shops, and other commercial entities to operate as usual.
Authorities implemented extensive security measures across both states to ensure public safety, according to police reports.
In Phagwara, Punjab, markets and businesses remained open, although some educational institutions opted to close as a precaution. Similarly, Ludhiana experienced normal operations in shops and schools.
The Bharat Bandh, called by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), had little effect in Jalandhar, where BSP activists conducted protests at three separate locations. Throughout the day, all commercial establishments and educational institutions remained operational, as local law enforcement heightened security in areas with significant Dalit populations. BSP members gathered at Jalandhar-Pathankot Chowk, Buta Mandi, and Rama Mandi to hold peaceful demonstrations.
Additionally, heavy rainfall in parts of Jalandhar limited the number of protesters. Several other Dalit organizations expressed support for the Supreme Court’s decision and criticized the BSP for its perceived overreaction to the ruling.
The bandh also had no noticeable impact in other areas of the Doaba region, including Kapurthala and Nawanshahr.
In Rohtak, Haryana, Dalit activists protested against the Supreme Court’s quota within a quota decision at various locations. The demonstrations were peaceful, and participants later submitted a memorandum to the relevant deputy commissioners, addressed to the President. Schools, colleges, shops, and businesses continued to operate normally.
RK Ranga, the coordinator of the SC/ST Aarakshan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, expressed their opposition to the Supreme Court’s decision to exclude the creamy layer from the SC/ST reservation quota.
In Karnal, demonstrators, accompanied by members of the Bheem Army, organized a protest at Valmiki Chowk and subsequently submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner’s office located in sector 12.
The protesters also conducted a march near the Old Cloth Market in Ambala City, as well as in Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and other districts within the region.
Fortunately, no incidents of unrest occurred, and the protests proceeded peacefully under the watchful presence of a significant police force.
The Supreme Court’s ruling on August 1 affirmed that states possess the constitutional authority to create sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes, which represent a socially diverse group, in order to provide reservations aimed at uplifting those castes that are socially and educationally disadvantaged among them.
