Raipur: A 14-hour Bharat Bandh called by Dalit and tribal organizations on Wednesday, protesting against the Supreme Court’s decision to permit the implementation of the creamy layer in SC & ST reservation, largely concluded without major law and order problems like incidents in Chhattisgarh. Apart from a few incidents, it remained overall peaceful.
Raipur, Chhattisgarh: The ST-SC Joint Front has called a Bharat Bandh in protest against the creamy layer decision. Many schools are closed. However, the Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce does not support the bandh. pic.twitter.com/sAZ0Or7Am9
— IANS (@ians_india) August 21, 2024
In anticipation of potential disruptions, most schools and colleges across the state remained closed for the day. Public transportation services, including buses, were also largely suspended. In urban areas such as Raipur and Korba, the impact was mixed: while some shops remained open, others chose to close in response to the Bandh. In contrast, markets in tribal and Scheduled Caste-dominated areas were predominantly shut.
VIDEO | “There is a massive impact of Bharat Bandh in Chhattisgarh. We are completely against the creamy layer, Rahul ji and Kharge ji have already spoken on this,” says former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel). #BharatBandh pic.twitter.com/0USqC8ZLkv
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 21, 2024
The capital city, Raipur, experienced minimal disruption, with the market largely unaffected by the Bandh call. However, in Kondagaon, tensions flared when a group attempting to submit a memorandum to the collector was stopped by security forces. The demonstrators breached barricades and entered the collectorate, leading to temporary chaos before police restored order.
Ranchi: SP Sumit Kumar Agrawal says, “Today, due to the Bharat Bandh, the SC/ST community has held a protest. Rural areas were somewhat impacted, with highways being blocked, but the roads have been cleared after action was taken…” pic.twitter.com/EcE4vOoEME
— IANS (@ians_india) August 21, 2024Chhattisgarh Viral Video: BJP MLA Releases ‘Sick’ Pigeon Into Air During Independence Day Event, Police Action Follows After Bird Fails To Fly
The Chamber of Commerce in Bastar endorsed the Bandh, while the Raipur chapter did not, a stance that drew criticism from the organizations leading the protest. These groups accused the government of undermining the sentiments of the local communities. Rallies and protests were reported in various parts of the state, reflecting the widespread discontent surrounding the issue.
