Nine die in Dalit protests Govt frames its arguments, says SC should’ve made it party in case
BHARAT BANDH Clashes erupt across states; trains blocked, vehicles torched
NEW DELHI/BHOPAL/LUCKNOW/ JAIPUR: Nine people were killed in clashes on Monday as Dalit groups — angered over an alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act — carried out violent protests across several states, even as the Centre moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of its March 20 judgment in the matter.
Clashes with the police, attacks on buses and government property, and blockades of trains and roads were reported across states, including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Bihar.
The highest death toll was reported in Madhya Pradesh, with the police saying that three people were killed in Gwalior, two in Bhind and one in Morena. Curfew was imposed in many parts of the state and internet services were withdrawn. The home ministry said central forces were sent to Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab to control the protesters.
The protests also claimed two lives in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar and Meerut, and one in Rajasthan’s Alwar as the police opened fire to disperse a mob, according to government officials.
At most of the places, the protesters were seen carrying blue
in the violent protests – three in Gwalior, two in Bhind and one each in Morena, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Alwar. The protests included arson, clashes with police and firing at a few places
flags bearing the name of Bhim Sena.
The protests continued in several places even after home minister Rajnath Singh said the Centre had filed a review petition in
in
Madhya Pradesh’s Morena, Gwalior and Bhind districts. Internet services were also withdrawn at several places in MP and Rajasthan to prevent rumours from spreading the Supreme Court against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act. “The government is appealing against the court order but it is a responsibility of everyone including all political parties to
in central Delhi and adjoining areas as protesters blocked a road near the Mandi House Metro station. Additional forces were also deployed in Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon
ensure peace,” Singh said in Delhi, where the Dalit protests caused traffic jams around the city’s commercial hub Connaught Place. NEW DELHI: The government expressed strong disagreement with the Supreme Court on its March 20 verdict reading of the law to prevent atrocities against Dalits and tribals and filed a review petition against its dilution, at least three ministers said on Monday.
Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the top court should have formally made the government a party in the case while it was only “allowed to make some oral submissions”.
The court, Prasad added, should have looked at actual criminal case data to come to the conclusion that it was being misused.
“With great respect, the government differs with the reasoning given by the SC judgement, virtually redoing the entire architecture of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Atrocities) Act 1989,” Prasad said.