Union Minister Ramdas Athawale Calls Bharat Bandh ‘Political’ Amid SC/ST Reservation Protests
New Delhi [India], August 21: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has termed today’s Bharat Bandh announced by the Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti as ‘political’ and unnecessary. He stated, ‘I think everyone has the right to do what they want. The Supreme Court has said that there should be a criterion of creamy layer in the Scheduled Caste reservations. But we all met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he said that the creamy layer wouldn’t be implemented in SC reservations.’
Athawale added, ‘The SC reservation is based on caste, which is given based on the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar. There was no need for Bharat Bandh on this issue. We are all against the creamy layer in SCs and STs, but today’s call for Bharat Bandh is political.’
A nationwide strike, known as ‘Bharat Bandh,’ is taking place across the country in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling on SC/ST reservations. The Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti announced the Bharat Bandh as a mark of protest against the SC’s ruling on SC/ST reservations.
The Patna Police baton charged the people protesting in support of a day-long ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Wednesday against the SC’s recent judgement. An atmosphere similar to lockdown was seen in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district. The people from the SC/ST community are monitoring by forming groups to make the shutdown successful. The police administration is also keeping a close watch on the area with full alertness so that no unusual incident takes place. The SC/ST people took out a procession from Kote Gate to the collector’s office.
The impact of the bandh is also being seen in Jharkhand’s capital city, Ranchi. The roads of Harmu Chowk, Kathal Mode, and Chapu Toli Chowk, have been completely blocked. The bandh supporters are protesting by burning tyres on the road. Tight police arrangements have been made in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior district ahead of a protest rally called by Bahujan Samaj Party and Bhim Sena amid the ongoing protest against the Supreme Court’s recent judgement on reservations.
The apex court in a landmark ruling on August 1, ruled that states have the power to sub-classify SCs and STs and said that the authority concerned, while deciding if the class is adequately represented, must calculate adequacy based on effective and not quantitative representation. The Supreme Court ruled by a majority judgement of 6:1, that sub-classification within the SCs and STs reservation is permissible. As many as six separate opinions were delivered in the case.
Doubts Revealed
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a person who is in charge of a specific department in the central government of India. They help make important decisions for the country.
Ramdas Athawale -: Ramdas Athawale is a politician in India. He is a member of the central government and works on issues related to social justice.
Bharat Bandh -: Bharat Bandh means a nationwide strike in India. It is when people stop working and protest to show they are unhappy about something.
Political -: When something is called ‘political,’ it means it is related to government or politics. In this case, it means the strike is connected to political issues.
SC/ST -: SC stands for Scheduled Castes and ST stands for Scheduled Tribes. These are groups of people in India who have been historically disadvantaged and are given special reservations to help them.
Reservation -: Reservation in India means setting aside a certain number of seats in education or jobs for specific groups like SCs and STs to help them get equal opportunities.
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and rules in the country.
Rajasthan -: Rajasthan is a state in the northwestern part of India. It is known for its deserts and palaces.
Jharkhand -: Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It is known for its forests and mineral resources.
Madhya Pradesh -: Madhya Pradesh is a state in central India. It is known for its historical sites and wildlife.
Sub-classify -: To sub-classify means to divide a larger group into smaller groups. In this case, it means dividing SCs and STs into smaller categories for reservations.
