Bharat Bandh: Protesters take a jibe at MP CM's statement

BHOPAL: SAPAKS-led 'Bharat Bandh' against amendment in SC and ST Act, in Madhya Pradesh remained largely peaceful with police lathi charge reported from Bhind and Shahdol districts. Bhind BJP MLA Narendra Singh Kushwah’s son Pusphendra was among those arrested during the day-long agitation across 51 districts in the state. He was released on a bail. Private schools, petrol pumps, markets and business establishments in parts remained shut.
IG (intelligence) Makrand Deoskar said the bandh remained peaceful following adequate police arrangements. “Sporadic incidents were reported from Ashok Nagar, Guna, Shahdol, Morena, Satna, Sidhi, Rewa, Alirajpur and Bhind,” said the IG during a media briefing at police headquarters.
Efforts were made to stop trains in Ashok Nagar and Rewa districts, but in vain. Police dispersed crowd using mild force. Tear gas shells were lobbed in Aron town in Guna after protestors tried to create a law and order situation. Deoskar said official figure of arrests made during the bandh would be compiled by Friday.
In Vidisha, agitators wore black T-shirts saying "Hum hai Mai ka Lal" taking a dig at chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s statement that no one can end reservation. Addressing SC and ST employees’ union chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said that his government would support reservation in promotion. “Koi mai ka laal aarakshan khatm nahi kar sakta (No one can dare to abolish reservation),” Chouhan said while addressing the meet in June 2016. He had later clarified that his statement was about reservation in NCC.
SAPAKS activists shouted slogans against the chief minister, tore his banners and downed shutters of government banks that were seen functional.
SAPAKS patron and retired IAS Hiralal Trivedi said he did not expect such a huge response to the bandh. He said a mega rally would be taken pout in the state capital on September 30.
Administration had imposed Section 144 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) in several parts of the state including Chhatarpur, Shivpuri, Bhind, Ashoknagar, Guna, Gwalior and Katni. Huge protests were reported from Chouhan's home district Sehore also. Jabalpur, Gwalior, too, witnessed huge protests.
Some people were injured in police lathi charge during protest in Shahdol district. Police said mild force was used to disperse Massive crowd was witnessed in Satna district, where some of them told local media that they won’t be allowing CM to enter their region for his public meet scheduled on September 10. Intelligence officials believe that the amendment bill passed by the Parliament to restore the provisions of the SC and ST Act is posing political trouble for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh with several organisations of upper castes and OBCs planning a major protest across the state in coming days.
Political leaders of ruling party and the opposition refrained from showing up at places where protests were being held. Many of them had cancelled their scheduled visits in their respective constituencies. SAPAKS activists, had gheraoed Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Thawar Chand Gehlot on the issue in Gwalior and Guna respectively and even Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia have faced protests with SAPAKS saying all MPs are responsible for passing the amendment act. OBCs and upper castes together form nearly 60% of the electorate in MP.