Bharat bandh: Traffic chaos in Delhi over Dalit protests

Bharat bandh: Traffic came to a standstill in Lutyens' Delhi today as hundreds of protesters marched in unity against the dilution of the SC/ST Act. The protesters gathered at Mandi House protesting the Supreme Court order banning automatic arrest and registration of cases for alleged harassment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. They blocked road outside the Mandi House Metro Station, bringing traffic to a halt as commuters faced inconvenience while travelling towards ITO and other stretches.

The protesters also blocked one of the carriageways of Barakhamba Road affecting the traffic on the stretch, police said. The city police has also curtailed the traffic movement on Sansad Marg from Patel Chowk to Jantar Mantar. Several Dalit organisations had called for a 'Bharat Bandh' across the country today. The Supreme Court had on March 20 diluted certain provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, in a bid to protect 'honest' public servants discharging bona fide duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act.

The verdict is being widely criticised by the Dalits and the Opposition who claim that the dilution of the Act will lead to more discrimination and crime against the backward community.