Bharat Bandh today: Security beefed up in Madhya Pradesh, other parts of country

In the wake of Bharat Bandh call given by several organisations to protest against the amendment to the SC/ST Act, security has been stepped up, school holiday declared in one district and also petrol pumps across Madhya Pradesh will remain closed today. 
 
According to reports, high alert have been issued in 35 districts across the state in view of the Bharat Bandh, and 34 companies of security forces and 5000 security personnel deployed. Section 144 has also been imposed in several districts. 
 
Police have reportedly tightened security across the state in view of ongoing protests against the amendment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Inspector General of Police (Intelligence), Madhya Pradesh, Makrand Deuskar reportedly stated that orders prohibiting gathering of people in large numbers have been imposed.
 
"The administration in most of the districts have clamped prohibitive orders under CrPC section 144 in view of the bandh on September 6," Deuskar told PTI, adding that 34 companies of the special armed force of police have been deployed in various districts.
 
Jabalpur district collector Chhavi Bharadwaj has written to the state home department, seeking suspension of Internet services in the district till 6 pm on Thursday, said the report, adding that District Education Officer in Bhind has also ordered that schools in the district will remain closed.
 
Madhya Pradesh Petrol Pump Owners Association president Ajay Singh told PTI, "We have decided to shut petrol pumps from 10 am to 2 pm tomorrow due to security reasons as some organizations have given a call for bandh."
 
Earlier on Wednesday, protests against the amendment to the SC/ST Act continued in the state, as protesters showed black flags to former Union minister and senior BJP leader Prahlad Patel at Tikamgarh when he was addressing the party's OBC workers.
 
Gwalior-Chambal region, considered a sensitive area, had reportedly witnessed large-scale violence on April 2 this year during the Bharat Bandh called by Dalit groups. Now, upper caste organisations are protesting against the amendment.
 
Brahma Samagam Sawarna Jankalyan Sangathan's national president Dharmendra Sharma reportedly stated that about 150 organisations of upper castes and OBCs would participate in the Bharat Bandh against the amendment. 
 
Meanwhile, multiple social groups representing people from the "unreserved" category in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, will also take out a protest march today. The groups reportedly 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 reportedly 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).
 
The police administration, however, has beefed up security around the city in view of the protest march.
 
In Lucknow, the state capital of Uttar Pradesh, shops and business establishment were closed due to bandh.
 
In Bihar too, markets remained closed. Protesters stopped a train in Arrah as Bharat bandh is called by upper caste groups. In Mokama district, protesters set fire to tyres during the bandh protests.
 
In Rajashthan, shops in Kota district remained closed in view of Bharat Bandh called by various organisations against the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act amendment. Protests are underway in another district of Alwar in the state.
 
In Maharashtra, protests are underway in Thane's Navghar against the amendment to SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 
 
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Notably, after the Supreme Court ruling that diluted the provision of mandatory arrests under the SC/ST Act, sparked protests by Dalit organisations, therefore, the Union government brought an amendment in the monsoon session of Parliament to override the apex court's order. This has irked the members belonging to unreserved category.