Why are people protesting?
Earlier this year, the apex court had removed the strict provision of mandatory arrests under the Act. This decision had triggered nationwide protests by Scheduled Castes organisations, forcing the Centre to bring an amendment to the Act during the Monsoon Session to overrule the SC order.
SEE PICS | Nationwide shutdown against SC/ST amendment act
The Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018 was passed in Lok Sabha on August 6. The Congress party later alleged that the Centre has now passed the bill thinking about next year's Lok Sabha elections. Stay with us for Live Updates on Bharat Bandh Against SC/ST Act Amendment.
Bharat Bandh Against SC/ST Act Live Updates
2: 30 pm: Watch Video- Bharat Bandh protest turns more violent in Bihar, train services get halted
2: 15 pm: A high alert has been issued in 35 districts across the state in the wake of the bandh. As many as 34 companies of security forces and 5,000 security personnel have been deployed in various districts. Section 144 has also been imposed in several districts of the state while drones are also being used for surveillance in Gwalior. All schools and colleges in Gwalior also remained closed.
2: 05 pm: Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) chief and Bihar MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav was attacked by the protestors in Bihar on Thursday amid the ongoing protest in the state by several organisations against amendments in the SC and ST act. Reports say that his cavalcade was attacked in Muzaffarpur, Bihar allegedly by supporters of the bandh. He was saved by his security personnel from attackers. He was about to hold a rally in the state when he was attacked by the protesters.
1: 47 pm: Hundreds of people from the upper caste communities took to streets across the state early in the day to protest against The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The protesters burned tyres, blocked roads and rail traffic in Patna, Gaya, Begusarai, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Nalanda, Muzaffarpur, Madhubni, Bhojpur, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Nawada and Bhagalour districts.
1: 32 pm: Watch Video-
1: 13 pm: Normal life in Bihar was affected on Thursday due to a nationwide shutdown called by dozens of upper caste groups to protest against the amended SC/ST Act, police said. Trains were forcibly halted, railway tracks, national and state highways were blocked in Bihar as upper caste communities forced the shutdown, disrupting rail and road traffic for hours and stranding thousands of passengers at different railway stations and bus stands.
12: 59 pm: Several organisations have given a call for a 'Bharat Bandh' against the amendement of Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
12: 47 pm: Watch Video -
12: 34 pm: The administration has imposed prohibitive orders under section 144 of Crpc in Chhatarpur, Shivpuri, Bhind, Ashoknagar, Guna, Gwalior and Katni, sources said.
12: 22 pm: Shops and business establishments remained shut in several areas. Vechicular movement was also affected. Petrol pumps were also closed in the state capital and other areas. Security has been beefed up and 35 areas are put on high alert, police said.
12: 10 pm: Normal life was partially affected in several parts of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday as several organistations staged protests as part of a countrywide agitation against the SC/ST Amendment Act.
11: 50 am: Watch Video - Know why upper caste groups are protesting against SC/ST amendment act
11: 34 am: Protesters have blocked NH 28 in Bihar's Muzaffarpur during Bharat Bandh. Protests intensify in Jharkhand too. "Demonstrators stop public transport, and vandalising property," say locals.
11: 25 am: Police had to resort to lathi charge in some areas of Bihar to tone down the effect of the Bandh.
11: 15 am: Petrol pumps to remain closed from 10 am to 4 pm today in Madhya Pradesh.
11: 08 am: Shops in Lucknow (UP) and in Kota (Rajasthan) have been closed due to nation-wide bandh called against amendment to SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
11: 06 am: Protests are underway in Alwar, Rajasthan.
11: 04 am: Bharat Bandh in Madhya Pradesh: Drones are being used for surveillance in Gwalior. SDM Narottam Bhargavi says,“Lot of security forces deployed. We are fully ready to face any kind of situation. Section 144 imposed at several places. It is very peaceful at present.”
11: 00 am: Watch Video-
10: 50 am: Meanwhile in Bihar, the protest is going violent. People have set fire to tyres in Mokama and blocked roads in Badh during Bharat Bandh protests. Trains were forcibly halted, railway tracks, national and state highways blocked in Bihar as upper caste communities on Thursday tried to impose a shutdown called to protest against the SC/ST Act
10: 34 am: In Rajasthan, the Bandh has taken over. Shops in Ajmer closed today.
10: 25 am: In the state of Bihar, people staged protest in Patna's Rajendra Nagar Terminal railway station.
10: 14 am: Meanwhile, the protestors in Thane's Navghar took to streets in Maharashtra against the amendment to SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
9: 58 am: The nationwide bandh has been called by various organisations against amendments in SC/ST Act.
9: 47 am: In an update from Bihar, trains have been stopped after the bandh has been called by various organisations against amendments in SC/ST Act.
9: 32 am: Security heightened in the city in view of Bharat Bandh against amendments in SC/ST Act. Police says, ”Forces have been divided judiciously across the districts. It has been peaceful till now. Nobody can force anyone to be a part of the bandh.”
9: 29 am: In view of Bharat Bandh against amendments in SC/ST Act, high alert has been issued in as many as 35 districts across the state. 34 companies of security forces and 5000 security personnel are deployed in the area. Section 144 imposed in several districts.
9: 15 am: People in Varanasi held the protest during Bharat Bandh called against amendments in SC/ST Act. The protestors staged the protest by raising banners on the street and burning effigies.
9: 10 am: The situation in Bihar has gone worse. The markets have been shut down, while protesters stop a train in Arrah as Bharat bandh is called by upper caste groups against amendments in SC/ST Act.
8: 59 am: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan appealed to people to maintain peace.
8: 53 am: Ahead of protest in MP, over 6,000 SAF jawans have been deployed in the state.
8: 48 am: In Uttar Pradesh, heavy security has been deployed in all district following the shutdown call in protest against SC/ST Act Amendment.
8: 40 am: The impact of nation-wide shutdown could be seen in several districts of Bihar. In the wake of the protest, the people have halted trains in Ara district of Bihar. Besides rail, road traffic has been affected.
8: 32 am: As per the report, Jabalpur district collector Chhavi Bharadwaj has sought permission to suspend the Internet services in the district till 6 pm on Thursday by the state home department. Bharadwaj has written to the state home department.
8: 28 am: WATCH VIDEO-
8: 21 am: Prohibitory orders imposed in Chhatarpur, Shivpuri, Bhind, Ashoknagar, Guna and Gwalior.
8: 16 am: The participating groups included the Noida Lok Manch, the Noida Entrepreneurs Association (NEA), the Brahman Samaj Seva Samiti, the Agarwal Mitra Mandal besides representatives of trade unions and resident welfare associations (RWAs).
8: 10 am: Furthermore, a march has been organised by multiple social groups representing people from the ‘unreserved category’ in Noida’s Gautam Buddh Nagar. The groups said they are also opposed to the reservation system on grounds of caste and religion and batted for a quota system based on economic status.
8: 00 am: In the wake of the protest, all schools and colleges in various districts of Madhya Pradesh like Gwalior and Bhind will remain closed today. While petrol pumps across the state will remain closed today.
Since the past one week, people in Madhya Pradesh are protesting against the amendments in SC/ST Bill. The protesters staged a demonstration outside the bungalows of Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar at Gwalior and Member of Parliament (MP) Bhagirath Prasad at Bhind.