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In the wake of a fresh 'Bharat Bandh' proposed by several organisations on Wednesday, 6 September, the Madhya Pradesh police has reportedly imposed Section 144 across five districts in the state.
The bandh has been in protest of the SC/ST Amendment Bill that was passed in the Parliament in July that overrode the Supreme Court ruling diluting it.
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Anticipating a Bharat Bandh tomorrow, the Madhya Pradesh police has been asked to heighten security across the state, with Section 144 being imposed in Satna, Bhind, Shivpuri, Gwalior and other districts.
Speaking to ANI, Makrand Deuskar, IG Law and Order said:
Almost 35 organisations in the state have called for a bandh in protest of the SC/ST Amendment Bill.
People showed black flgs to Madhya Pradesh BJP MP Prahlad Patel in the state’s Tikamgarh area, protesting over the SC/ST Amendment Bill.
All schools and colleges in Gwalior to remain closed tomorrow in the view of Bharat Bandh called against amendments of SC/ST Act.
People in Varanasi hold protest during Bharat Bandh called against amendments in SC/ST Act.
Speaking to ANI, a police official said that the security in the city has been tightened in the view of Bharat Bandh.
“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,” the police personnel added.
A high-alert has also been issued in 35 districts across Madhya Pradesh in view of the bandh. Thirty-four companies of security forces and 5,000 security personnel have been deployed, with Section 144 being imposed in several districts of the state.
Petrol pumps are also closed in Bhopal from 10 am to 4 pm in view of the bandh.
Multiple social groups representing people from the "unreserved" category in Gautam Buddh Nagar will take out a march to protest the amendments in the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, reported PTI.
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.
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).
"We will be taking out a protest march tomorrow morning at 10 am from the Noida stadium and go to the district magistrate's office. We will handover a memorandum to the district magistrate, our member of parliament, raising our concerns," said Vipin Malhan, from the Noida Entrepreneurs Association (NEA).
In Bihar, protesters stopped trains in Darbhanga, Arrah and Munger's Masudan as part of the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by upper-caste groups against the amendments to the SC/ST Act, reported ANI.
Protests against the amendment to the SC/ST Act are going on in Rajasthan's Alwar and Kota, as well as Lucknow. Shops have been shut in Kota and Lucknow in view of the bandh.
A group of protesters vandalised a mall earlier today in Varanasi on Bharat Bandh in protest against the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act amendment.
The march began from the Noida Stadium with protestors, some of them sporting black bands on their arms, moved chanting slogans. The march culminated at the camp office of the district magistrate in Sector 27, amid beefed up security in the area.
The participants in the march included people from 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).