Bharat Bandh today, landslide-hit Wayanad exempted

Kottayam: Various Adivasi-Dalit organisations in Kerala will also take part in the Bharat Bandh on Wednesday to protest the recent Supreme Court verdict on the sub-categorisation of reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as granted under the Constitution.

In a joint statement signed by leaders of various Adivasi-Dalit organisations, it was alleged that the verdict aimed to divide the SC/ST list on a caste basis and introduce a 'creamy layer' within SC/ST categories. They said the bandh will exempt Wayanad district due to the recent natural disasters.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal on Tuesday announced that they would extend support to the Bharat Bandh. Left parties also backed the call for the strike.

The National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) has released a list of demands, including justice and equity for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

The NACDAOR has taken an opposing view to a recent Supreme Court judgment by a seven-judge bench that, according to them, undermines the earlier ruling of a nine-judge bench in the landmark Indira Sawhney case, which established the framework for reservations in India.

The NACDAOR has urged the government to reject this judgment, arguing it threatens the constitutional rights of SCs and STs.

The organisation is also calling for the enactment of a new Act of Parliament on reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs, which would be protected by inclusion in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

This, they argue, will safeguard these provisions from judicial interference and promote social harmony.

The NACDAOR has also demanded the immediate release of caste-based data on SC/ST/OBC employees in government services to ensure their accurate representation.

They are also pushing for the establishment of an Indian Judicial Service to recruit judicial officers and judges from all sections of society, with a target of 50 per cent representation from SC, ST, and OBC categories in the higher judiciary.

The organisation has called for filling up of all backlog vacancies in central and state government departments, as well as public sector undertakings.

The body said the private sector companies benefiting from government incentives or investments must enact affirmative action policies in their firms.

The NACDAOR has appealed to Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs, to participate in a peaceful agitation on Wednesday.