MP govt withdraws Bharat Bandh cases filed against Dalits after BSP’s warning

The Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday withdrew the Bharat Bandh cases filed in April 2018 over the alleged dilution of SC/ST Act 1989. The announcement was made by Madhya Pradesh law minister PC Sharma.

In fact, the state government has also decided to withdraw similar cases filed in the last 15 years by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during its tenure in Madhya Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference, PC Sharma, said, Cases filed on 2nd April 2018 [Bharat Band] over SC/ST Act 1989] or similar cases in the last 15 years filed by the BJP will be withdrawn.

The development came a day after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) warned of withdrawing its support to the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan if Bharat Bandh cases filed against Dalits are not withdrawn.

BSP, in a press release, said, We demand



that cases filed during the Bharat band held on 2 April 2018 for SC/ST Act 1989 in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh be withdrawn. If these demands are not met, we'll reconsider our decision to give outside support to Congress.

Earlier in April, several Dalit groups held nationwide protests against alleged dilution of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the Supreme Court which led to massive violence in different parts of the country. The violence left nine people dead.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, citing instances of abuse of the act for vested interests, laid down guidelines for arrests of such groups to avoid false implications on March 20 this year.

However, following the violent protests in April, the Union cabinet had approved an amendment to SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to water down the guidelines issued by the top court.