MIXED RESPONSE TO BHARAT BANDH NORMAL LIFE HIT IN BIHAR, J'KHAND

SP, BSP extend support, but strike had little impact in UP and other northern states

Normal life was hit on Wednesday in Bihar, Jharkhand and tribal areas of different states by the daylong nationwide strike called by some Dalit and Adivasi groups.

The bandh call, however, evoked a tepid response in other parts of the country.

The bandh call was given against the Supreme Court's verdict on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes affected normal life in Bihar and Jharkhand as well as tribal areas of various states.

Twenty-one organisations across the country had called for the Bharat Bandh against the apex court's order, which they said would harm the basic principles of reservation. I.N.D.I.A bloc parties and non-BJP outfits extended their support to the bandh. The Left parties too have extended their support to the strike Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav extended his support to 'Bharat Bandh'. He said the mass movement to protect reser"Mass movement to protect reservations is a positive effort and it will instil new consciousness vations is a positive effort among the exploited and it will instill new consciousness among the ex"There is anger and resentment against the Supreme Court's decision among the people of these groups v popis poti agamist any kind of tampering with reservation. Peaceful movement is a democratic right," the SP chief said in a post on X.

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati also extended her support to the 'Bharat Bandh'.

BSP chief Mayawati said that there is anger and resentment against the SC's decision among the people of these groups.

The apex in a landmark ruling on August 1, ruled that states have the power to sub-classify SCs and STs and said that the authority concerned, while deciding if the class is adequately represented, must calculate adequacy based on effective and not quantitative representation.