Various Dalit and Adivasi organizations on Wednesday observed a 14-hour Bharat Bandh across Chhattisgarh in protest against the Supreme Court’s recent ruling permitting the application of the creamy layer principle within Scheduled Castes (SC) and ST reservations. The bandh witnessed a mixed response, with Chhattisgarh seeing varied levels of participation across different regions.
While the Congress extended moral support to the bandh, local business communities in Chhattisgarh were divided. The Bastar Chamber of Commerce supported the bandh but the Raipur Chamber of Commerce refrained from backing the protest.
In the state capital, Raipur, the bandh had minimal impact, with normalcy largely maintained throughout the day. However, activists were seen urging residents in various neighborhoods to participate in the shutdown. Durg and Bhilai also experienced little disruption, with routine activities continuing largely unaffected.
Conversely, in districts like Gariyaband, Mungeli, and Kanker, the bandh saw more significant adherence, with public transport, schools, colleges, and markets remaining closed since the morning, excluding essential services.
In Ambikapur, the Sarva Adivasi Samaj led a rally from the Collectorate Chowk, appealing for public cooperation. However, transport services, including buses and trains, remained operational.
Bilaspur saw heightened security, with police deployed at key locations. Educational institutions and businesses remained open, but rallies organized by the Sarva Adivasi Samaj are expected to push for broader support of the bandh. A memorandum addressed to the President is planned to be submitted via the local Collector.
The most pronounced impact of the bandh was observed in the Bastar division. The Bandh caused major disruptions on key highways in southern Chhattisgarh, with significant traffic jams reported.
The Jagdalpur-Sukma route, a vital link between Chhattisgarh and the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, was blocked by protesters, leading to long queues of stranded vehicles.
Similarly, the Jagdalpur-Bijapur National Highway-63 was completely jammed. The members of the Adivasi community took to the streets and blocked the road, bringing traffic to a standstill.
In Kanker district, protesters entered the Shaheed Ram Kumar Yadav Government Girls Higher Secondary School, dismissing students for the day. Demonstrators also blocked a section of the National Highway by felling trees, causing significant traffic disruptions.
In Kondagaon, SC-ST community members gathered at the Ambedkar statue, chanting slogans such as “Jai Bhim” and “Withdraw Supreme Court’s decision.” Protesters were active on the streets from early morning, enforcing the closure of shops through bike rallies.
The Bharat Bandh was called nationwide on August 21 in response to the Supreme Court’s verdict on the sub-categorization of SC-ST reservations.
The ruling allows state governments to further classify SC-ST reservations into sub-categories and allocate separate quotas, a move deemed constitutional by the Court under Article 341.
The bandh received support from several political parties, including the Bhim Army and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), echoed the call to reconsider the Supreme Court’s decision.