Protests in Jabalpur and Other Cities Against Supreme Court’s Reservation Judgement
People in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, and other cities protested against the Supreme Court’s decision to allow sub-classification within reservation categories for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti called for a Bharat Bandh on August 21.
Protests in Jabalpur
In Jabalpur, several organizations called for a bandh and took out an eight-kilometer rally. Devesh Chaudhary, President of Adivasi Bahujan Adhikar Kalyan Sangh, stated that the Supreme Court’s judgement violates Articles 341 and 342 of the Indian Constitution. He urged the Central government to call an emergency parliament session to add this reservation to the ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
Protests in Other Cities
Bhim Army workers in Indore also staged a protest and submitted a memorandum to the District Collector. Former state president of Bhim Army, Akash Rahul, demanded the withdrawal of the judgement. In Gwalior, hundreds of workers from Bahujan Samaj Party and Dalit organizations took out a rally and submitted a memorandum to the district administration. Similar protests were seen in Ujjain, with various organizations participating in rallies.
Supreme Court’s Judgement
The Supreme Court ruled on August 1 that states have the power to sub-classify SCs and STs. The court stated that the authority must calculate adequacy based on effective representation, not just quantitative representation.
Doubts Revealed
Jabalpur -: Jabalpur is a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh, which is in the central part of India.
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and rules in the country.
Reservation -: Reservation in India means setting aside a certain number of seats in government jobs, schools, and colleges for people from certain groups, like Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), to help them get equal opportunities.
Scheduled Castes -: Scheduled Castes (SC) are groups of people in India who have been historically disadvantaged and discriminated against. The government provides them with special benefits to help improve their situation.
Scheduled Tribes -: Scheduled Tribes (ST) are groups of indigenous people in India who have their own unique cultures and traditions. They also receive special benefits from the government to help them.
Sub-classification -: Sub-classification means dividing a larger group into smaller groups. In this case, it refers to dividing the reservation benefits among different sub-groups within the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti -: Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti is a group that fights to protect reservation benefits for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Bharat Bandh -: Bharat Bandh means a nationwide strike or shutdown in India, where people stop working and businesses close to protest against something.
Adivasi Bahujan Adhikar Kalyan Sangh -: Adivasi Bahujan Adhikar Kalyan Sangh is an organization that works for the rights and welfare of indigenous people and other marginalized communities in India.
Bhim Army -: Bhim Army is a group that fights for the rights of Dalits, who are people from the Scheduled Castes, and works to end discrimination against them.
Memorandums -: Memorandums are written statements or documents that people submit to the government to express their demands or concerns.
