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April 2018 caste protests in India

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April 2018 caste protests in India
Date2 April 2018
Location
India
Caused byThe Supreme Court order on the Atrocities Act
MethodsProtesting, rioting, arson, mobbing
Statusongoing
Casualties
Death(s)16[1]
Injuries400
Arrested100 (Haryana)[2]
32 (Uttar Pradesh)[3]

In early April 2018, thousands of people belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes staged a Bharat Bandh against an order of the Supreme Court of India. In subsequent violence, at least sixteen people died and four hundred others were injured.[1]

Background

The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 protects the SC/ST caste groups. Specifically, it establishes criminal liability for harassment or cruel and inhumane treatment of people from SC/ST caste groups. The act does not allow the court to grant anticipatory bail to accused person. Under the act, the police must file a First Information Report (FIR) and arrest the accused on receiving a complaint.[4] In 2016, the conviction rate under the act was 25.7% in cases of atrocities against SC and 20.8% in cases against ST, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.[5] On 20 March 2018, the Supreme Court of India ruled that no arrests can be made without prior permission and allowed a court to grant an anticipatory bail if it, prima facie, finds the complaint an abuse of the law.[4] The Attorney General of India, on behalf of the Government of India, filed a review petition against the order of the Supreme Court.[6]

Protests

The Supreme Court decision was widely viewed by people from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) as a dilution of the Atrocities Act.[7] Thousands of people took to the streets on 2 April 2018 when a national strike was announced by the SC/ST caste groups in protest of the decision. The protests turned violent across several states in India as the protestors blocked trains, damaged property, and clashed with police and other civilians. There were also incidents involving arson, vandalism and gunfire. At least sixteen persons were killed: nine in Madhya Pradesh, five in Uttar Pradesh, two in Rajasthan; four hundred others were injured.[1] Violent incidents were also reported in the states Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi.[8][9]

A mob burnt the house of Bharosi Lal Jatav - a former Indian National Congress legislator and ransacked the home of Rajkumari Jatav - a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Hindaun. A curfew was imposed in Hindaun, Rajasthan following the violence, which was to remain in effect till 11:00 am IST on 4 April, and later extended till 01:00 pm IST.[10]

Twenty four government vehicles and sixty private vehicles were damaged in Haryana.[2]

Thousands of protesters were arrested and curfew was imposed in several places. 1700 anti-riot police were sent to states by the Government of India.[8]

Response

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) (which prohibits assembly of more than four people) was imposed in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.[11]

Internet services were suspended in Punjab and Rajasthan state.[12]

Aftermath

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vaibhav Krishna, police had filed reports against 5,000 unidentified and 285 named miscreants, while 32 agitators were arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. According to him, nine policemen were injured during the agitations on 2 April.[3]

At least fifteen FIRs were registered by the police in Ludhiana, Punjab against hundreds of unidentified protesters for alleged road blockades and for causing obstructions.[13]

According to Haryana's Director general of police, B S Sandhu, 84 police officials and eight civilians were injured during the violence on 2 April. The police booked around 4,000 persons and 100 others were arrested for indulging in violence while as many as 47 FIRs were lodged in Haryana.[2]

The Supreme Court held hearing on the review petition on 3 April 2018 but did not stay the order and have called to hear the matter in ten days.[1]

Reaction

According to Kandula Ananda Rao, the president of the All India Dalit Rights Federation, "there's no protection for Dalits in India, especially after the BJP came to power".[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "SC refuses to stay its order on SC/ST Act; to hear matter". dna. 2018-04-03. Retrieved 2018-04-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  2. ^ a b c "Violence during Bharat Bandh: 100 arrested in Haryana". The Indian Express. April 4, 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Dalit protests: 5,000 booked, 32 arrested for violence and arson in Ghaziabad". The Indian Express. PTI. April 4, 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Dalit fury and what led up to it". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-04-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  5. ^ Johari, Aarefa. "Supreme Court says SC/ST Atrocities Act is misused. So what explains the low conviction rates?". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2018-04-03.
  6. ^ "SC/ST Act: Centre files review petition, says data shows weak execution of law, not its misuse". Hindustan Times. 2018-04-02. Retrieved 2018-04-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  7. ^ "'Bharat Bandh' against SC's ruling on SC/ST Act: Top developments", The Times of India, 3 April 2018
  8. ^ a b "Bharat Bandh LIVE: Nine Dead; 1,700 Anti-riot Police Personnel Sent to Violence-hit States". News18. 2018-04-02. Retrieved 2018-04-03.
  9. ^ "Bharat bandh highlights: Dalit protests spread across north India; 9 killed in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, UP". Hindustan Times. 2018-04-02. Retrieved 2018-04-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  10. ^ Goswami, Rakesh (4 April 2018). "Dalit protests: Normalcy returns to Rajasthan's Hindaun but curfew remains". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Bharat Bandh: Section 144 imposed in Haridwar". Business Standard. ANI. April 3, 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Dalits in India hold protests against 'dilution' of SC/ST Act". Al Jazeera. 2 Apr 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Dalit protests: 15 FIRs against protesters in Ludhiana". The Indian Express. April 4, 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  14. ^ Wu, Huizhong (April 3, 2018). "India's Supreme Court to hear appeal on ruling that sparked Dalit protests". CNN. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
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