Bharat bandh: Violence claims several lives; Opposition hits out at Centre, BJP leaders appeal for peace

The Centre also filed a review petition in the apex court against its verdict. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government will argue the matter with full authority in the top court and appeal for reconsideration. “The Centre was not a party in the proceedings at all. And therefore, a very comprehensive review has been filed. And the Government of India with great respect does not agree with the reasoning given by the Supreme Court in the matter,” he said. Home Miniter Rajnath Singh also said that the government is committed to the welfare of Dalits. Appealing for peace and calm on Twitter, he wrote, “I am deeply pained by the acts of violence and loss of precious lives in some parts of the country today during protests.”

Rahul calls BJP anti-Dalit

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, slammed the RSS and the BJP for the condition of Dalits in the country. “It is in the DNA of the RSS/BJP to keep Dalits at the lowest level in Indian society. Anyone who challenges this thought is crushed with violence. Our Dalit brothers and sisters are today on the streets demanding protection of their rights from the Modi Government. We salute them.”

दलितों को भारतीय समाज के सबसे निचले पायदान पर रखना RSS/BJP के DNA में है। जो इस सोच को चुनौती देता है उसे वे हिंसा से दबाते हैं।

हजारों दलित भाई-बहन आज सड़कों पर उतरकर मोदी सरकार से अपने अधिकारों की रक्षा की माँग कर रहे हैं।

हम उनको सलाम करते हैं।#BharatBandh

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 2, 2018

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Bharat Bandh: Protests on roads, Railway tracks during the nationwide Bandh in Ludhiana. (Express Photos by Gurmeet Singh)

Mayawati denies BSP’s role in violence, lashes out at Modi govt

The Opposition, however, attacked the Centre for not taking enough measures in the wake of the bandh call today. BSP chief Mayawati lashed out at the government calling it “anti-Dalit.” “The Backwards are not getting their Constitutional rights. BJP is always doing politics of caste. The Dalit and Adivasi communities are angry over the Supreme Court judgment on the SC/ST Act. They have been raising this concern but the central government chose to keep mum.”

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also said that her party is not responsible for the violence in Uttar Pradesh. “The central government took a lot of time in filing the review petition against the Supreme Court verdict on the SC/ST Act. Had they filed the review petition in time, there wouldn’t be any protests or Bharat bandh,” she added.

The sentiment was echoed by Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. “I charge the central government, and not the Supreme Court, that this law was weakened and diluted because the central government did not represent the case properly before the court,” Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said. He also termed today’s ‘Bharat Bandh’ as a success against “the government’s failure and weakness.” Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the law had an impact on 23 per cent of the Indian population and alleged that “the government took this case lightly”.

SEE PICS | Protests against SC/ST Act turn violent

Bharat Bandh: Protestors blocked rail traffic in Vadodara (Express Photo By Bhupendra Rana)

Kejriwal supports Dalit protests

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal extended his support to the Dalit protest, saying that “fundamental intent of the Act should be preserved.” The govt should also hire top lawyers for the petition in the apex court, AAP chief wrote on Twitter. The CPM also condemned the violence and said, “The situation has arisen because of the failure of the Modi government to present an effective case against the dilution of the Prevention of Atrocities Act.” “From Rohith Vemula to Una flogging and destruction of Ambedkar statues, we have seen how this govt has dealt with issues pertaining to Dalits. RSS – BJP ideology has been the driving force in targeting of Dalits in this regime,” CPM leader Sitaram Yechury wrote on Twitter.

Why has it taken such protests for the govt to file a review petition on the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act? If its intentions were honest, why did it not make the case properly in the Supreme Court in the first place?

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) April 2, 2018

READ | Four killed in Madhya Pradesh as protests turn violent, curfew imposed

CMs of BJP rules states appeal for peace

Amid the reports of violence in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called for peace in the state. “The law and order should not be disturbed by these protests. The government is serious towards the development and progress of Dalits. I appeal to them not to disturb the law and order,” he said. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Rajasthan Chief Minsiter Vasundhara Raje also reiterated that the government is dedicated for the welfare of the Dalit community. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh also requested the people to ensure that the law and order situation is maintained in the state.

In order to ‘protect honest public servants’ discharging bonafide duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act, the apex court’s judgment, pronounced on March 20, had diluted its stringent provisions mandating immediate arrest. The verdict is being widely criticised by the Dalits and the Opposition who claim that the dilution of the Act will lead to more discrimination and crimes against the backward community.