Dalit groups stage protests in Capital

BHUBANESWAR:   Vehicular movement in different parts of the State was affected on Monday due to Bharat Bandh observed by Dalit organisations protesting dilution of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. In the Capital, members of SC/ST/OBC and Minority Joint Action Committee of Odisha burnt tyres near Income Tax office and at Vani Vihar before reaching Lower PMG in a bike rally. They took out the rally from Uttara to Mausima Temple and Rasulgarh to Vani Vihar.

Traffic came to a grinding halt at Vani Vihar as the agitators stopped the commuters from moving ahead. They also burnt the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Lower PMG and demanded that the Centre should file a review petition challenging the recent Supreme Court. Capital police station incharge ACP Manas Garnaik and other officers were present at Lower PMG to avoid any untoward incident. However, the agitators spared the vehicles of educational institutes and allowed business establishments to function in the Capital.

“The Centre should file a review petition before a larger bench of the Supreme Court challenging the order on SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. We are going to give a memorandum in this regard to President Ram Nath Kovind through the Governor,” said Odisha coordinator of the committee Sangram Keshari Mallick.