The announcement of a ‘Bharat Bandh’ by the Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti on August 21 has sparked significant attention across Rajasthan. The bandh, organised as a protest against the Supreme Court's recent ruling on SC/ST reservations, has led to calls for peace and orderliness from state officials.
Rajasthan's Parliamentary Affairs and Law Minister, Jogaram Patel, has made a public appeal urging citizens to conduct the bandh in a peaceful manner, ensuring that daily life, particularly the traffic system, remains undisturbed.
Patel emphasised that Rajasthan would adhere to the Supreme Court's decision, as well as any directives from the Central Government, stressing that the interests of all reserved classes will be safeguarded.
He expressed confidence that the government, both at the state and central levels, will take decisions that are in the best interest of these communities. In his appeal, Patel urged the public to express their views without causing disruption, ensuring that no one faces inconvenience during the bandh.
In Jaipur, the bandh's impact was palpable as most markets and business establishments remained closed. This closure was in solidarity with the nationwide protest organised by the SC/ST communities in response to the Supreme Court's decision on the creamy layer and sub-classification within SC/ST reservations.
To maintain order, police and security arrangements were intensified across the city, with additional forces deployed at key intersections and marketplaces.
The Supreme Court's ruling, delivered on August 1, has been a significant point of discussion. The ruling grants states the authority to sub-classify Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), a move that has sparked debate and concern among various communities.
The court, in its judgement, highlighted that the adequacy of representation must be assessed based on effective, not merely quantitative, measures.
The judgement, passed by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, overturned the earlier verdict in the EV Chinnaiah case, which had deemed sub-classification within SC/STs as impermissible. The recent ruling, however, allows for such sub-classification, arguing that SCs and STs do not constitute homogeneous classes.
Among the seven judges, Justice BR Gavai proposed that the state should develop a policy to identify the 'creamy layer' within the SC/ST communities, suggesting that those falling under this category should be excluded from the benefits of affirmative action.
On the other hand, Justice Bela M Trivedi offered a dissenting opinion, disagreeing with the majority view and asserting that sub-classification within SCs and STs should not be allowed.
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