Bihar: Protest Against SC Verdict on Sub-Categorisation of SC/ST Hits Normal Life

Patna: Normal life in Bihar was hit on Wednesday (August 21) during protest against Supreme Court’s verdict in favour of sub- categorisation of Schedule Castes (SC) and Schedule Tribes (ST), disrupting rail and road traffic and forcing closure of business establishments and educational institutions.

The protest is part of the countrywide “Bharat Bandh” called by
different Dalits and adivasi groups against the apex court’s decision, supported by various Opposition parties,

Thousands of people, mostly Dalit members and activists from different parties and organisations took to the streets since early morning, staged protests across the state against the apex court’s decision on a ‘creamy layer’ in SC/ST reservations.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) two allies – Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ramvilas) chief Chirag Paswan, who is also Union minister, has opposed the court’s verdict and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) founder-chief and Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has supported it. Both Paswan and Manjhi are Dalit leaders.

Similarly, Paswan has extended support to the call for Bharat Bandh while Manjhi opposed it.

Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal, CPI(ML), VIP of Mukesh Sahni have extended support to the protest and as per reports,
hundreds of opposition parties workers joined the protests.

With posters, banners, and blue flags in hand, supporters of the Arakhshan Bachao Sangarsh Samiti, Bhim Army, Dalit Sena and other Dalit organisations, halted several trains at different
railway stations, including, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Buxar, Araah.

According to an East Central Railway official at its zonal headquarters in Hajipur, protestors “disrupted” train services at few railway stations.

The protestors also blocked different National Highways in Jahanabad, Begusarai, Vaishali and state highways at over a dozen places. Besides, there were reports of blockades of busy roads in different towns by protestors.

In Patna, hundreds of protestors chanting “Jai Bhim” took to the streets to protest and enforce a shutdown. The protestors tried to block Gandhi Setu, which connects Patna with north Bihar. At several places, including Barh, Fatuha,  Phulwarisharif, Janipur, Parsa Bazar, Sampat Chak and Punpun, protests were staged by burning tyres on roads that disrupted traffic, forcing shops near PMCH to close.

There were reports of protestors clashing with police in Jehanabad and Patna. In Jehanabad, police detained a few protestors for violating rules and in Patna’s Dak Bunglow Square when large number of protestors tried to break the police barricade to march ahead, leading to a lathi-charge and use of water cannons to disperse them.

There were reports of protests in Gaya, Bhagalpur, Sheikhpur, West Champaran, Katihar, Muzaffarpur, Siwan, Purnea, Arwal, Kaimur, Rohtas, Jamui, Banka, Saran, Samastipur, Nalanda and other districts.

The state government deployed heavy security forces but reportedly instructed police officials to remain spectators against the protesters.

According to the Bihar caste survey, the population of Scheduled Castes (Dalits) is 19 % and 1.68% Scheduled Tribes (Adivasis). It is noteworthy that the population of SCs has increased in the state
since the 2011 census.

However, Chirag Paswan on Wednesday posted on X that he and his party support the protest. “It is our moral duty to stand with oppressed and mariginalised sections of the society,” he wrote. Earlier, Paswan, who belongs to Dusadh or Paswan, a militant Dalit caste, said that reservation was given to Dalits on the
basis of untouchability, not educational and economic status. There is no basis to apply the ‘creamy layer’ factor for this.

But Manjhi, who belongs to Mushahar, the most marginalised Dalit caste, reiterated that he and his party support the apex court’s verdict because it was necessary. “Some people have been
questioning the court verdict and opposing it for self-interest, not in the interest of the Dalit Samaj. Only four Dalit castes have benefited from reservation in the last 76 years,” he said.