BHOPAL: The SAPAKS-led Bharat Bandh against amendment in the SC/ST Act was peaceful but led to a shutdown in many areas of the state on Thursday. This could be a cause of concern for ruling BJP with polls barely two months away. OBCs and upper castes make up nearly 60% of MP’s electorate.In Bhopal and Indore, schools and markets remained closed but public transport plied. Petrol pumps stayed shut till late afternoon. The secretariat saw very low attendance, with the official explanation being that several employees had applied in advance for leave on this day. Hiralal Trivedi, convener of SAPAKS, said the bandh was completely successful and that they would hold a ‘Maharally’ in Bhopal on September 30.About 40 Congress workers, including MLA R K Dogne, were arrested for obstructing CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Harda. The CM’s rally got good response in Harda despite the bandh call.In Chhatarpur, Bandh supporters showed black flags and hurled water pouches and sticks at the BJP office when finance minister Jayant Mallaya, MoS Rekha Yadav, MP Prahalad Patel and MLA Rekha Yadav were holding a meeting with party workers. Despite Section 144 being in force, over 1,000 activists of SAPAKS, Karni Sena and others took out a rally. Protests were reported in the CM’s home district, Sehore, and Jabalpur and Gwalior.Talking to reporters, some BJP leaders expressed solidarity with the bandh. Rekha Yadav said it was wrong to amend the SC/ST law. “I will raise a demand to change it. I am with the people,” she said. Prahlad Patel said, “ If people think the bill needs to be amended again, it will be considered. BJP is of the view that justice should be done to all. False cases were registered under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act during the Congress regime. Even I was the victim of it.” Finance minister Jayant Mallaya refused to comment.Former MLA Laxman Tiwari on Thursday resigned from primary membership of BJP in protest against the amendment to SC/ST Act. He was elected from Mauganj in Rewa in 2008 on a Bharatiya Janshakti Party ticket — floated by Uma Bharti. Later, the party was merged with BJP but Tiwari was denied a ticket by BJP. Criticizing the amendment, Tiwari said: “It is atrocious to send people to jail merely on the basis of suspicion. We didn’t have any hopes from the Congress. But BJP acted in the same manner. Our demand is to withdraw the amendment and reservation.”The success of Bharat bandh called by anti-quota groups has forced BJP and RSS to recalibrate their agenda for the upcoming assembly polls. The ruling party and Sangh Parivar have called a crucial meet in Bhopal on Friday to focus on a strategy to control public anger against the SC/ST Act amendment.Like Chhatarpur, the bandh was complete in Sagar, Tikamgarh and Damoh. All shops, business establishments and educational institutions were closed. In Damoh, lawyers wore blacks badges to protest the amendment.BJP MLA from Bhind Narendra Singh Kushwah’s son Pusphendra was among those arrested. He was released on bail. Stray incidents of violence were reported in Bhind and Shahdol districts, where police had to lathicharge at a few places. One person was injured. Bandh supporters tried to stop trains in Ashok Nagar and Rewa, but were chased away by police. Tear gas shells were lobbed in Aron town of Guna to break up a clash.IG (intelligence) Makrand Deoskar said the bandh was peaceful due to adequate police arrangements. “Sporadic incidents were reported from Ashoknagar, Guna, Shahdol, Morena, Satna, Rewa, Alirajpur and Bhind,” the IG said.In Vidisha, agitators wore black T-shirts saying ‘Hum hai Mai ka Lal’ in an apparent dig at CM Chouhan’s earlier statement that no one can end reservation. Intelligence officials believe that the amendment bill passed by Parliament to restore the provisions of the SC/ST Act is posing political trouble for BJP, with organisations of upper castes and OBCs planning more protests in the coming days.Leaders of the ruling party and opposition stayed away from places where protests were held. Many of them cancelled scheduled visits to their respective constituencies.In recent days, SAPAKS activists gheroed Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Thawar Chand Gehlot in Gwalior and Guna. Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia also faced protests, with SAPAKS saying all MPs are responsible for passing the amendment.

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