Why is today marked as the Nationwide Bharat Band across India?
| Today is the Nationwide Bharat Band-reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
es, today, August 21, 2024, there is a Bharat Bandh across India. The bandh has been called by Dalit and Adivasi groups, along with other organizations, in protest against a recent Supreme Court ruling regarding reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). The court’s decision allows states to create sub-categories within these groups to ensure that those who need reservations the most get priority. This has sparked significant opposition from various groups who believe it undermines the constitutional entitlements of SCs and STs.
Nationwide Bharat Band News-Essential services
Essential services like emergency medical services, hospitals, and police stations will continue to operate. Government offices, banks, schools, and colleges are expected to remain open.
Supreme court Judgement on SC/ST Sub-Classification for separate Quatas
The Supreme Court of India’s recent ruling on the validity of sub-classification within SC/ST (Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes) reservations has sparked considerable debate. The decision centers on whether states can create sub-categories within these groups to ensure that the most disadvantaged members benefit from reservation policies.
Historically, reservations have been a tool to address systemic inequalities faced by SCs and STs, offering them a better chance at education, employment, and political representation. However, the benefits of these reservations have not been evenly distributed within these communities. Often, a significant portion of the benefits has been concentrated among the more privileged sub-sections, leaving the most marginalized sections still disadvantaged.
The Supreme Court, recognizing this disparity, ruled that states could create sub-categories within the SC/ST groups. This means that within the broad SC/ST classification, certain sub-groups can be prioritized for reservations based on their specific levels of socio-economic disadvantage. The court’s decision emphasized that those truly in need of these reservations should be the primary beneficiaries.
This ruling has been controversial. Proponents argue that it ensures a more equitable distribution of resources and opportunities within the SC/ST communities, allowing the most marginalized to receive the support they need. Critics, however, fear that this could lead to further fragmentation and division within these already vulnerable groups, potentially undermining reservation policies’ broader unity and purpose.
The Bharat Bandh on August 21, 2024, was a direct response to this ruling, with various groups protesting against what they perceived as an unjust decision that could weaken the constitutional protection given to SCs and STs.
