Bharat Bandh Highlights: Shutdown by tribal, dalit outfits evokes mixed response

Bharat Bandh on 5th March 2019: The nationwide shutdown called by several tribal and dalit groups on Tuesday evoked mixed response with no major untoward incident being reported from any part of the country. The bandh was called tribal, dalit groups despite the February 13 ruling by the Supreme Court to stay eviction of 10 lakhs tribals and other forest dwellers. It must be noted that, while staying the eviction order of the tribals, the apex court last week had ordered the concerned states to submit affidavits detailing the procedures which resulted in the rejection of claims by the Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FSDTs) along with the Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs). The affected states have been directed to file their affidavits by July 10. Today’s bandh was also supported by several groups who are opposing the Supreme Court’s recent dismissal of a review petition on a 13-point roster. They claim that the apex court’s order will adversely affect the chances of SC, ST, and OBC candidates to take up faculty posts in universities. Despite the stay on the order and subsequent ruling, the tribal groups found it unsettling that the Centre failed to protect these community’s rights in the court of law. Demanding that the NDA government brings an Ordinance under the Forest Rights Act to protect their rights, the tribal groups decided to call a Bharat Bandh. As per a report by the Indian Express, the community feels that the “whims of government officials” have brought them to the brink of eviction.