Bharat Bandh: 9 dead, hundreds injured in three BJP-ruled states as Dalit protest turns violent

New Delhi: Nine persons were killed, mostly in BJP ruled states, and hundreds were injured as a Dalit protest during a nation-wide shutdown turned violent. They were outraged over a Supreme Court order that dilutes a law aimed at preventing atrocities against Dalits and tribals. In Madhya Pradesh, the worst hit, six people died during clashes; one person was killed in Rajasthan’s Alwar district and two in UP. Violence was also reported from parts of Punjab and Jharkhand. Punjab came to a standstill as the government put the army on stand-by. Maharashtra witnessed sporadic violence. The agitation also reached the capital as angry Dalits blocked roads in Connaught Place.

The official response was in the form of a tweet with Home Minister Rajnath Singh advising all states to maintain law and order. ‘‘We are ready to provide assistance to any state that requires the same,’’ Home Minister Rajnath Singh declared. The prime minister maintained a stoic silence. BSP chief Mayawati denied that her party was behind the protests. The BJP underscored the government’s resolve for development of Dalits and dubbed Rahul Gandhi a “political vulture” out to seek “advantage” after the Congress chief blamed the ruling party for the community’s plight.  Former Union minister Sharad Yadav termed the Centre’s review plea in the Supreme Court against its ruling as an “eyewash” and demanded that the government should rather bring an ordinance.

Also Read: Bharat Bandh: Violent protests in Rajasthan

MP worst hit with 6 deaths, Rajasthan one and UP 2; Punjab at a standstill; Mumbai business as usual

MADHYA PRADESH: Six people have died in Gwalior, Morena and Bhind in Madhya Pradesh. Curfew has been clamped in all these flashpoints and the army was called in Bhind to control the situation. The deceased in Morena was identified as Rahul Pathak, a student leader. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan could do little apart from making a passionate appeal for peace and sending an SOS to Centre for reinforcements. Gwalior District Magistrate Rahul Jain told a wire agency that at least 22 persons were injured, some critically.

UTTAR PRADESH: A man died in clashes with the men in khaki in Muzaffarnagar. Meerut witnessed widespread arson and clashes; across the state, 75 people, including 40 policemen, were injured. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has appealed for calm, saying the Central and the state governments are “dedicated towards the welfare of backward castes, SCs & STs”. A Home Ministry official in Delhi said two companies of Rapid Action Force were sent to Meerut and one company each to Agra and Hapur. Protesters attacked shops and looted them in PM Modi’s LS seat Varanasi.

PUNJAB: The state has the highest concentration of Scheduled Castes, constituting nearly 32 per cent of its 2.8 crore population. Hundreds of protesters carrying swords, sticks, baseball bats and flags forced shops to shut down in Jalandhar, Amritsar and Bathinda. Traffic in and around Chandigarh was hit as protesters blocked highways and arterial roads. The State government had taken extensive security measures, including shutting of schools and colleges,  postponing board exams and suspending mobile internet services till 11 pm.

Also Read: Dalit protests: Violence erupts in many states, at least 4 dead in cross-firing

GUJARAT: Gujarat’s major towns and cities also saw protests by Dalits amid reports of vandalism from Ahmedabad and Jamnagar. Dalit leader and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani joined the protests and said the apex court verdict was against the Constitution. “The case before the SC was related to a single person charged under the Atrocities Act, who pleaded that he was not guilty. The petitioner did not ask for any revision of the entire SC/ST Act. “But, the apex court gave a verdict as if it is over and above Parliament or the Constitution,” Mevani told reporters.

RAJASTHAN: Scores were detained in Rajasthan as protesters blocked rail and road traffic and vandalised public property, including a train, in many parts of the state. Violence was reported in Alwar, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur.

BIHAR: In Bihar, activists disrupted rail and road traffic. Mobs shut down markets and shops as well as educational institutions. Supporters of the Bhim Army and other Dalit outfits halted over three dozen long-distance and local trains, stranding thousands of passengers.

Mayawati’s MLA being blamed

BSP chief Mayawati denied in a televised address that her party was behind the protests. The denial notwithstanding, BSP MLA Yogesh Verma, who represents Hastinapur in the state assembly, has been detained. He is the “main conspirator” of the violence, news agency ANI quoted Manzil Saini, a senior police officer from Meerut, as saying.Meerut was one of the key towns that witnessed violence. The government had to rush two companies of Rapid Action Force personnel — each comprising 100 men — to Meerut and one company each to Agra and Hapur. Earlier Verma’s boss, Mayawati, said while her Bahujan Samaj Party is no longer in Parliament, “our politics outside will force the Narendra Modi government to buckle under… Our party will not sit quietly if their (Dalit) voices are not heard.” Articulating the Dalit sentiment, Mayawati said, “The review petition filed in the Supreme Court was critical, they took a lot of time to file it. Had it been done in good time, people wouldn’t have had to come to the streets.

“The review petition filed in the Supreme Court was critical, they took a lot of time to file it. Had it been done in good time, people wouldn’t have had to come to the streets.”

– Mayawati

‘‘The case before SC was related to a single person charged under the Atrocities Act, who had pleaded that he was not guilty. The petitioner did not ask for any revision of the entire SC/ST Act. But, the apex court gave a verdict as if it is over and above Parliament or the Constitution,”

– Jignesh Mevani