Bharat Bandh against SC/ST Act amendment: Protest continue across in MP, UP & Bihar, normal life affected

General category and OBC members in Madhya Pradesh have called for a Bharat bandh in protest against the Parliament passing an amendment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that overrode a Supreme Court order diluting it. Some of the upper-caste protesters have also been targeting elected representatives and raising slogans against the ruling BJP-led government at Centre for voting in favour of the amendment. Over the past few days, the state has witnessed protests in districts like Morena, Bhind, Gwalior, Mandsaur and Neemuch, with upper-caste people — and at many places people belonging to Other Backward Classes — joining hands to gherao legislators, demanding that reservation be rolled back and the checks introduced by the apex court be re-introduced. Section 144 of CrPc has been imposed in most parts of the state in view of the bandh call and 34 units of the special armed force of police have been deployed in various districts. Schools and petrol pumps will remain shut across districts and internet services are likely to be affected. Source: The Indian Express