Bharat Bandh: Upper caste groups protest SC/ST Amendment Act; Sec. 144 imposed in MP

For the 'Bharat bandh' on September 6 called by 35 upper caste organisations in Madhya Pradesh to protest against the SC/ST Amendment Act, security has been beefed up in the state and prohibitory orders have been issued under section 144 of the Crpc in some areas.

"Through the social media and pamphlets, we came to know that some organisations are planning a Bharat Bandh against the amendments in the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following which the security has been beefed up in the state," said Makrand Deuskar, Inspector General of Police (Intelligence).

Deuskar said orders prohibiting the 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 said.

The administration has imposed prohibitory orders in Chhatarpur, Shivpuri, Bhind, Ashoknagar, Guna and Gwalior, sources said.

The Gwalior-Chambal region had witnessed large-scale violence on April 2 during the 'bharat bandh' called by scheduled caste groups in which four people were killed.

Thirty-four companies of the special armed force of police have been deployed in various districts, he said.

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.

District Education Officer in Bhind has ordered that schools in the district will remain closed.

Anticipating more protests during 'Bharat Bandh', Madhya Pradesh ministers including Yashodhara Raje Scindia, Lalita Yadav, Narayan Singh Kushwaha and many others have cancelled their public functions on Thursday.