Nationwide Unrest Over SC/ST Reservation Sub-classification

The Madhya Pradesh home department has instructed local authorities to maintain law and order during a Bharat Bandh called by 21 organizations against the Supreme Court's decision on SC/ST reservation sub-classifications. Prominent political figures and parties have extended their support to the bandh.

The Madhya Pradesh home department has issued directives to district collectors and superintendents of police (SPs) to ensure law and order during Wednesday's Bharat Bandh, called by various groups protesting community-based reservation policies.

Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh publicly backed the Bharat Bandh. In a Tuesday night circular, the home department instructed collectors, SPs, and police commissioners in Bhopal and Indore to maintain order in their areas throughout the day-long protest.

Twenty-one organizations nationwide are protesting the Supreme Court's August 1 decision allowing sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) for more targeted reservations. The groups argue this undermines the reservation system's fundamental principles.

The Supreme Court clarified that any state-level sub-classifications must be based on rigorous, quantifiable data on backwardness and government job representation, dismissing the idea of arbitrary or politically-motivated decisions.

In a statement on social media platform X, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh confirmed his backing for the Bharat Bandh. Despite testing positive for COVID-19, Singh voiced his opposition to the Supreme Court's ruling and urged public cooperation. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) have also lent their support to the bandh.

(With inputs from agencies.)