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While five were killed in cross-firing in Madhya Pradesh alone, one each died in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on Monday in clashes with police during a nationwide bandh called by several Dalit outfits against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
There were violent protests in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Protests took place at several places in Bihar and Jharkhand also. In Punjab, public transport services have been suspended and in Gujarat, the authorities cancelled dozens of State transport bus routes in sensitive districts, fearing protests.
The Dalit outfits are protesting against the Supreme Court’s March 20 interpretation of The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989.
"Two people were killed in Gwalior while one person each died in Bhind and Morena districts in cross-firing during protests," Inspector General (Law and Order) Makrand Deoskar told PTI in Bhopal. Curfew was imposed in several places and the Army was called out in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh. The Army and paramilitary forces were also put on standby in Punjab.
Supreme Court judgment
The Supreme Court observed in the judgment that the anti-atrocities law, which protects Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from casteist slurs and discrimination, has become an instrument to “blackmail” innocent citizens and public servants.
Issuing a slew of guidelines to protect public servants and private employees from arbitrary arrests under the Atrocities Act, the court directed that public servants can only be arrested with the written permission of their appointing authority. In the case of private employees, the Senior Superintendent of Police concerned should allow it.
But Dalit organisations, including the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch, and some political parties fear the dilution of the provisions might lead to increase in violence against Dalits.