Athawale appeals to people to not participate in Bharat Bandh

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale today appealed to the public to not participate in the August 9 'Bharat Bandh' called by Dalit organisations against the Supreme Court ruling on the SC/ST Act.

In a statement issued today, Athawale appealed to the people to maintain peace, harmony and brotherhood in the country.

His appeal comes a day after the Lok Sabha passed The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill 2018 to overturn a Supreme Court order concerning certain safeguards against arrest under the law.

Yesterday, The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill 2017, which grants constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes(NCBC), was also passed by the Parliament.

Athawale said the passage of the two bills was a revolutionary step and alleged that the opposition is defaming the government wrongly over this.

Opposition calls for Tamil Nadu 'bandh' over police killings

Opposition parties on Thursday called for a 'Tamil Nadu bandh' on Friday and sought the resignation of the "BJP's puppet government" in the state over the death of 13 people in police firing in protests against the Sterlite company in Thoothukudi.

DMK leader Kanimozhi accused the Modi government of remote-controlling the Tamil Nadu government and alleged that the Sterlite factory was able to thrive because of the support it received from the central and state governments.

It is important to know who ordered the police firing that killed 13 protesters in Thoothukudi town, the MP said.

The police action followed mass protests against the factory that locals say was depleting the water table in the region and also causing health hazards.

Thoothukudi's new Collector Sandeep Nanduri said that since the government had ordered an inquiry committee to probe the various incidents, it would be improper for him to comment on the issue.

Bharat Bandh: Clashes in Bihar, section 144 imposed in Bhopal; top updates

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an advisory to all states to take necessary precautionary measures in the view of Bandh called for Tuesday. A week after Dalit groups across the country held a nationwide protest against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the Supreme Court, which witnessed massive violence in different parts of the country leading to the death of nine people, a Bharat Bandh against caste-based reservation in education and jobs has been called today. According to security sources, calls for an anti-quota bandh started circulating on social media after Dalit protests last week. "We are holding meetings with community liaison groups and traders. Nobody will be allowed to take the law into their hands," he added.

Top 10 developments on Bharat Bandh called by Dalit outfits today

1. Schools to remain shut today in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad: Schools for students of Class I to IX will remain closed today, as a precautionary measure, in the wake of Bharat Bandh called on Tuesday. According to media reports, a shutdown has been called by some groups for April 10, who are reportedly against caste-based reservations in jobs and education.

2. MHA asks states to tighten security: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in its advisory said, "MHA has advised the states to beef up security and make appropriate arrangements to prevent any untoward incident, including issue of prohibitory orders, if necessary. It has asked for intensification of patrolling in all sensitive locations so as to prevent any loss of life or damage to property."
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