Bharat bandh: Dalit, Adivasi groups launch nationwide strike today

Dalit and Adivasi organizations announced a peaceful ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Wednesday to highlight their demand for greater representation of marginalized communities in jobs and education, as well as to safeguard their constitutional rights.

The Bharat bandh call comes on the backdrop of the recent Supreme Court verdict on the sub-categorisation of quotas for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) groups, and the controversy over lateral entry for central civil services.

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SC/ST Sub-Classification Ruling and Withdrawal of Lateral Entry Posts Spark Debate

On August 1, a seven-judge bench of Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, ruled by a 6:1 majority that further sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by states can be permitted to ensure quota for more backward castes within these groups.

On August 20, minister for the department of personnel and training (DoPT) Jitendra Singh wrote to the UPSC chairman asking for the advertisements for lateral entry for 45 posts of joint secretary, director, and deputy secretary levels to be withdrawn. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that the move was an attack on the reservation rights of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and SC/ST communities.

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Key Points About Today’s Bharat Bandh

• The Bharat Bandh has been organized by the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) to oppose a recent Supreme Court verdict, which they claim contradicts the earlier Indira Sawhney case that set guidelines for reservations.
• NACDAOR demands that the government ensure social justice and equitable representation for marginalized communities in jobs and education.
• The organization has called for a new central law, protected from judicial review under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, although the Supreme Court has previously ruled that laws under the Ninth Schedule are not immune to review.
• NACDAOR is pushing for the immediate release of caste-based data on SC/ST/OBC employees in government services to ensure fair representation.
• They also demand the filling of all backlog vacancies in central and state government departments and public sector units. They suggest private sector companies benefiting from government support should implement affirmative action policies.
• Political parties like JMM, Congress, RJD, and Left parties have extended their support to the strike.
• Public services in states governed by these parties are expected to be affected, although there is no official announcement regarding the closure of banks, government offices, or educational institutions.
• Emergency services, including hospitals, ambulances, and medical facilities, will remain operational.
• NACDAOR has urged peaceful participation from OBC, SC, and ST communities in large numbers.