Udit Raj calls Bharat Bandh 'unfortunate'

The reasons behind calling the 'Bharat Bandh' Thursday was disappointing and influenced by bias against Dalits, BJP Lok Sabha MP from northeast Delhi Udit Raj said.

The shutdown called by upper caste groups in parts of India against a recent amendment in the SC/ST Act to reverse the alleged dilution of the legislation witnessed road and rail traffic disruption, closure of shops, schools and other establishments as well as scattered incidents of violence, mainly in Bihar.

"The reason for calling Bharat Bandh is disappointing and influenced by bias against Dalits. Is this opposition of SC/ST Act to resume the centuries-old atrocities and exploitation of Dalits? This Bharat Bandh is a conspiracy of cheap politics that would never succeed," Raj tweeted in Hindi.

Shops, schools and other commercial establishments were closed in parts of Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, but the shutdown call by anti-reservation bodies had little impact elsewhere in the country.

There were scattered incidents of violence, mainly in Bihar, where bandh supporters stormed Patna's Rajendra Nagar terminus and disrupted movement of trains for 30 minutes, officials said.

The amendment bill passed by Parliament had nullified the 'safeguards' ordered by the Supreme Court against arrests without a preliminary inquiry under the SC/ST law.

Raj had said there was no law that was not misused but the SC/ST Act was singled out and protest was held against it.

"We have faced this cynicism, threat and anger since years. The Dalit community will face it without getting cowed down," he had tweeted.

Earlier this year, the apex court had removed the strict provision of mandatory arrests under the SC/ST Act.

This decision had triggered nationwide protests by Scheduled Caste organisations, forcing the Centre to bring an amendment to the Act to overrule the SC order.

The upper-caste groups had called the shutdown against the amendment.