After the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) reservations, the Dalits and Adivasis across the nation are up in arms against the verdict, calling for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ today.

In the Aravalli district, the OBC SC ST Ekta Manch (OSS Ekta Manch) announced a bandh in Bhiloda, prompting local authorities to remain alert.

Mixed reactions of bandh

Although the bandh was approved in Bhiloda, emergency services like police, hospitals, and fire services were exempted, and the SC-ST Manch urged the public to cooperate during the protest.

Markets were voluntarily closed in Vijay Nagar, Bhiloda, and Danta, while in some areas, markets remained open.

The bandh was particularly supported in tribal-dominated areas of Gujarat.

Districts such as Dahod, Panchmahal, Sabarkantha, Danta, Aravalli, Narmada, Navsari, and Chhotaudepur participated in the protest. The impact was also seen in Hadad, Danta, Mandali, Idar, Umarpada, Sabarkantha, Vyara, Songadh, Umarpada, and Vijay Nagar.

Protests in Saurashtra

A rally was organised in support of the Bharat Bandh by organisations of the SC community, who raised slogans in the city.

Dalit community activists created a roadblock at the Town Hall Circle in Jamnagar. 

Some shops in the area remained closed for a while, and vehicle traffic was affected, prompting a police response. Leaders and activists from around 10 Dalit community organisations in the district took to the streets and appealed for participation in the Bharat Bandh.

In Vadodara, a scuffle occurred over the closure of shops on MG Road, but the police intervened, preventing further conflict. Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad and Patan, members of the Dalit community blocked roads, leading to police detentions. In Gandhinagar, many SC-ST community members gathered and organised a protest rally.

SC-ST community members held a rally at the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar on Ring Road, Surat, where they raised slogans and marched to the Collector’s office to submit a memorandum addressed to the President.

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