The day-long Bharat bandh, organised by some Dalit and Adivasi groups in protest of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs), partially disrupted rail and road communications in Odisha on Wednesday (August 21).
Train services hit in Odisha
Protesters disrupted train services at Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur, with passenger buses also affected on various routes. Demonstrations were held at several locations, including roadblocks on national highways.
The agitators briefly detained the Visakha Express at Bhubaneswar railway station and blocked trains at Khetrajpur station in Sambalpur. Train services resumed normal operations after police cleared the tracks.
Protesters block roads
Road blockades were reported in Cuttack, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Malkangiri, Sundergarh, Keonjhar, and other areas. The Bharat Bandh, supported by twenty-one organizations nationwide, opposes the Supreme Court’s order, claiming it undermines the fundamental principles of reservation.
According to police, government offices, banks, businesses, and educational institutions operated normally. In anticipation of the bandh, the Home Department issued a note on Tuesday advising state secretariat and department heads to reach their offices by 9:30 am.
Enhanced security measures were implemented at the state secretariat, department buildings, and other key locations.