New Delhi: Dalit and Adivasi organisations have called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’, a peaceful strike, on Wednesday, to stress their demand for wider representation of marginalised communities in jobs and education and also to ensure the protection of their constitutional rights.
The Bharat bandh call comes on the backdrop of the recent Supreme Court verdict on the sub-categorisation of quotas for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) groups, and the controversy over lateral entry for central civil services.
On August 1, a seven-judge bench of Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, ruled by a 6:1 majority that further sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by states can be permitted to ensure quota for more backward castes within these groups.
On August 20, minister for the department of personnel and training (DoPT) Jitendra Singh wrote to the UPSC chairman asking for the advertisements for lateral entry for 45 posts of joint secretary, director, and deputy secretary levels to be withdrawn. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that the move was an attack on the reservation rights of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and SC/ST communities.
Urging the government to reject the SC judgment, it called for a new central act, protected from judicial review by the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. In the past, the SC has held that placing a law under the Ninth Schedule does not protect it from judicial review.
NACDAOR has also demanded the immediate release of caste-based data on SC/ST/OBC employees in government services to ensure their accurate representation.
The body has urged the government to release data on caste-wise representation of these groups in public services.
The group has called for the filling up of all backlog vacancies in central and state government departments, as well as public sector undertakings. In the private sector, the body said companies benefiting from government subsidies or investments must enact affirmative action policies in their firms.
Political parties like the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal have extended support to Bharat Bandh today. Left parties have also backed the call for a strike.
Despite the lack of an official announcement, public services are expected to be hit in states ruled by these parties.
Emergency services such as hospitals, ambulances, and medical facilities, will remain functional. There is no official announcement on the closure of banks, government offices, and educational institutions.
NACDAOR has urged all OBC and SC/ST groups to participate peacefully in large numbers.
