Anti-quota bandh call has police in MP, UP Rajasthan on high alert

Little-known groups, such as Sarv Samaj from Rajasthan, have also issued statements calling for the bandh. The Samaj claimed to have membership from across the Brahmin, Rajput, Jat and Gujjar communities.

THE HOME Ministry has issued a nationwide advisory to ensure that adequate security measures are put in place to prevent any violence during the Bharat Bandh called on April 10 against the policy of caste-based reservation in education and jobs.

The bandh call has not been endorsed by any major group but comes just eight days after nine people were killed in widespread violence during a similar call issued by Dalit groups protecting against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Separate security alerts have also been issued in a number of states, particularly in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan from where the deaths were reported on April 2. Prohibitory orders are in force and Internet services have been suspended in MP’s Gwalior, Bhind and Morena districts, while a day-long Internet shutdown has been ordered in UP’s Hapur. The latest bandh call does not see to have gained much traction among states in the south, west and northeast, said officials.

“The MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) has advised the states to beef up security and make appropriate arrangements to prevent any untoward incident, including issue of prohibitory orders, if necessary,” an official said. The advisory has asked states to intensify patrolling in sensitive locations to prevent loss of life or damage to property.

Security sources said calls for the so-called anti-quota bandh started circulating through social media, including various WhatsApp groups, after the protest on April 2 against the Supreme Court order mandating stringent safeguards before the SC/ST Act can be invoked.

Sources said messages such as “Let’s unite for a meritorious India” were posted on various platforms by users who called themselves “general category”. Little-known groups, such as Sarv Samaj from Rajasthan, have also issued statements calling for the bandh. The Samaj claimed to have membership from across the Brahmin, Rajput, Jat and Gujjar communities.

In MP, where six people were killed last week, district officials in Gwalior, Bhind and Morena have asked schools and colleges to remain shut Tuesday. While a curfew will be enforced across Bhind, prohibitory orders will remain in Gwalior and Morena. In Bhind and Gwalior, personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Special Armed Force (SAF) have been deployed in addition to local police.

Bhind collector Ilayaraja T told The Indian Express that while no organisation has openly endorsed the bandh call, a flag march was conducted Monday and security stepped up. “Statues of prominent personalities are being guarded across the district to deter vandals,” he said. In UP’s Hapur, the district magistrate has ordered Internet services be suspended from 6 pm Monday to 6 pm Tuesday. Two people were killed in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar on April 2.

In Rajasthan, too, no organisation has come forward to support the call. “But we will take strict action against anyone who decides to break the law,” said N R K Reddy, ADGP law and order. “The Karni Sena has not called for a bandh on Tuesday. But we are not responsible if any individual decides to act on his own,” said Mahipal Singh Makrana, state president, Shree Rajput Karni Sena.

Police are also on alert in Punjab, where anti-riot squads have also been deployed, and Haryana, where last week’s bandh led to clashes in Kaithal town. In Jharkhand, apart from alerts against any rally or procession, police are keeping a watch on various social media platforms to track calls for a bandh.

In Gujarat, there have been no open calls for a bandh although Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani has already warned of a “counter protest” on April 14.

Police in Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu said they have not received reports of any call for a bandh. In Kerala, a day-long hartal called by Dalit outfits Monday to protest the Supreme Court ruling witnessed sporadic incidents of stone-pelting and road-blocks.

(With inputs from ENS in Bhopal, Lucknow, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi)

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