If demands not met by July 30, Dalit community threatens another ‘Bharat Bandh’

The Dalit community is preparing for yet another face-off against the Narendra Modi government with a ‘Bharat Bandh’ call on August 9, this time on a larger scale than the one held on April 2.

All India Ambedkar Mahasabha’s Ashok Bharti on Thursday said July 30 was the deadline for the government to meet their demands, which included restoration of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, prior to the Supreme Court judgment of March 22, 2018.

Otherwise Dalits along with farmers, ex-servicemen, industrial workers and other minority groups would take to the streets to press its points, he said.

Bharti said the Centre’s promises of bringing an ordinance to strengthen the Prevention of Atrocities Act had fallen flat, despite assurances by senior Cabinet ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Thaawarchand Gehlot.

The government has no intentions to bring in any Bill to this effect in the ongoing Parliament session, it is clear, he said on the day the three organisations—All India Kisan Sabha, Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement and All India Ambedkar Sabha—came together under the banner of “People for Responsible Government” to form a pressure group to press their collective demands.

The group, which is also opposing the appointment of Justice (retd) AK Goel as National Green Tribunal (NGT) chairman, wants the withdrawal of all cases under its members detained under NSA, and those arrested or implicated during the April bandh.

Notably, it is not just Dalit activists who are upset over the appointment of Justice Goyal as the NGT chairman, Opposition leader Kumari Selja raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha while Union Minister and NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan has also written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh opposing the appointment of Goel given that he was “the judge who ruled against” the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Meanwhile, according to Major (retd) Priyadarshi Chowdhury, the joint movement represents voices of three bulwarks of our society – farmers, soldiers and Dalits.

We have come together to put forward our demands with the hope that this is a government that is responsible to the people. We invite the government, political parties, organisations and citizens of this country to engage with us, listen to us, debate with us and ensure delivery of justice,” he said.

Source: If demands not met by July 30, Dalit community threatens another ‘Bharat Bandh’