Normal life was partially affected in some parts of the state on Monday due to the stirs staged by the people of the Scheduled Caste community against the alleged inaction of the Centre regarding the recent Supreme Court ruling on the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act . However, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state, though the protestors took out rallies, arranged meetings, shouted anti-Centre slogans, blocked roads and torched effigies to protest against the Centre for sitting idle on the alleged attempts to make the act ineffective through dilution of its stridency. Police said that they had made elaborate security arrangements in view of the incidents of arson and violence reported from some parts of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. “We were extra alert in view of the sensitivity of the issue. Provincial Armed Constabulary jawans were deployed at the stir sites. Things passed off sans any untoward incident,” said the state additional director general of police (law and order) Ashok Kumar on Monday.
However, several shops in Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar, Rishikesh, Nainital and some other places were forcibly shut down by the protestors who took to the streets while venting anger over what they alleged attempts to water down the stringency of the act deemed as the protective armour against atrocities against the Dalit community people. Shops were shut down in Paltan Bazaar and other markets in Dehradun. Notably,Dalit organisations like Uttarakhand Samvaidhanik Adhikar Sanrakshan Manch had called a Bharat Bandh on Monday on the issue.
In Rishikesh, police deployed additional forces at sensitive places to maintain peace during the stir. In Nainital district, protesters assembled at lalliwala Ambedkar Bhawan and agitated against the alleged dilution of SC/ST Act. Ex-MlA Sarita Arya also participated in the rally that was taken to the Collectorate and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President, demanding his intervention in the interest of the Dalit community people.
Bheem Yuva Social Organisation members protested against any amendment in SC/ST Act as they gathered in Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar district. They took out a rally and allegedly forced the shop owners to down shutters. As some of the traders resisted altercation ensued and police rushed to bring things under control. later, a memorandum addressed to the President was served.
It should be noted that the protests were held after a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court on March 20 ruled against immediate arrest of any person on complaints lodged under the act.
The Apex Court had asked for a thorough probe before the police arrested anybody as per the complaint lodged under the act to stop it from being misused. However, the ruling has not gone down well with several Dalit organisations which dubbed it as 'anti-Dalit' and asked the Centre to take a stand and file a review petition.