A nationwide strike — “Bharat Bandh” — was observed across the country on Wednesday with Dalit groups holding protest marches against a recent Supreme Court verdict on SC/ST reservations.

Organised by the Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, the bandh was largely successful as local markets remained shut in several states, including Rajasthan, UP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

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The protesters believe that the court’s verdict allowing sub-classification undermines the rights of the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).

In Bihar’s capital, Patna, tensions flared as police resorted to lathi charge to disperse protesters supporting the bandh. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ashok Kumar Singh, told a news agency that police had to use “mild force” because it was “not a peaceful protest” and “common people could not travel”.

Demonstrations erupted following the Supreme Court’s ruling, with several areas witnessing disruptions. In Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region, shops across the towns remained shut. Local MLAs and MPs from the Congress had also extended their support to the Bharat Bandh.

In Rajasthan, massive security arrangements were made and police personnel were put on high alert to prevent any untoward incidents.

Jharkhand’s capital, Ranchi, also saw significant impact from the bandh, with roads in key areas like Harmu Chowk, Kathal Mode, and Chapu Toli Chowk completely blocked by protesters.

In Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, authorities took preemptive measures to maintain order. Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar said, “Extensive police force have been set up for the Bharat Bandh called by various political parties and organisations. Our officers are constantly on the ground with the concerned magistrates. Leaflets are being collected from all places. The situation is under control in the entire Uttar Pradesh. No untoward incident has been reported anywhere… Talks have been held with important persons of all parties and everyone has assured that there will be no disturbance of any kind… We want to assure the people of the state that law and order will not be allowed to deteriorate under any circumstances…”

In Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, police forces have been deployed in large numbers to maintain order. The Joint Commissioner of Police, Shiv Hari Meena, stated, “We are conducting foot marches to ensure that law and order is maintained. We are also taking care that the general public does not face any kind of problem. The police team is keeping an eye on those attempting to create disorder.”

Protestors occupied railway tracks and forced a goods train to halt in Wadhwan town in Gujarat’s Surendranagar district during the nation-wide bandh.

“We have seen photos of people occupying the track and therefore a goods train had to be halted,” Mashooque Ahmad, senior divisional commercial manager of Bhavnagar division of Western Railway said. Gujarat Railway Police and Railway Protection Force cleared the tracks after some time, public relations inspector of the Bhavnagar division Shambhu Singh said.

In Odisha, road and rail services were partially affected due to the protests.

The Bharat Bandh call was also supported by several Opposition parties, including the Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bahujan Samajwadi Party and the Samajwadi Party.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said, “The Supreme Court judgment has two parts – one issue was about creamy layer, the other issue was about sub-categorisation of the SC. On one of these issues, the Supreme Court gave an observation. The observation is not a part of the judgment. When SC-ST MPs, who belong to BJP, felt that the Opposition was misleading people that with this decision creamy layer will now be a part of SC/ST, they gave a memorandum to the Prime Minister on 9th August. After a cabinet decision, the PM said that the creamy layer is not implemented in SC/ST and is not a part of this judgment.

”The second part is about direction, it is a part of the judgment – Supreme Court said that if the states want they can draw sub-categorisation and it imposed two conditions, 1) states will collect quantifiable data, 2) they can’t give 100 per cent reservation to whoever they are giving. Opposition is spreading unnecessary misinformation.”

In a majority decision of 6:1, the Supreme Court on August 1 ruled that states have the authority to sub-classify Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for reservation purposes.

The ruling, delivered by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, overturned a previous judgement in the EV Chinnaiah case, which had declared that sub-classification within SCs and STs was impermissible.

Alongside CJI Chandrachud, the bench comprised Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela M Trivedi, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Sharma.

Justice Gavai suggested that the state should develop a policy to identify the “creamy layer” within the SC/ST communities. However, Justice Bela M Trivedi dissented, expressing her disagreement with the majority ruling that sub-classification within SC/ST reservations was permissible.