Bharat Bandh Live: Opposition is protesting high fuel prices, falling rupee

Congress and 20 other Opposition parties hit the streets today to protest the recent space of hikes in fuel prices and a fall in the value of the rupee

The Congress party called for a ' Bharat Bandh ' on September 10 to protest the rising fuel prices and steadily declining value of the rupee against the US dollar. Twenty political parties have answered the Congress' call, and a number of chambers of commerce and traders' associations are also supporting the bandh.

Top Opposition party leaders like Sharad Pawar, M K Stalin and Left leaders have openly extended their support to the call for a shutdown, while the Trinamool Congress has decided to stay away from the protest.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the Narendra Modi government had "looted" Rs 11 trillion from the people of the country in the past 52 months and was running a "profiteering company" rather than a government.

He also urged people to bring about a change in the country by ousting the BJP from power.

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Maharashtra bandh: Security beefed up, schools and colleges remain open

All departments and affiliated colleges of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad will remain closed today

Security has been beefed up in Maharashtra as Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella body of Maratha groups has called for a state-wide bandh on Thursday over reservation issue.

Addressing the media, a leader of the Sakal Maratha Samaj, Amol Jadhavrao said that the state-wide bandh would be observed in a peaceful manner from 8 am to 6 pm. However, the bandh will not be observed in the Navi Mumbai.

"We have called for a state-wide bandh on August 9. The bandh will not be observed in Navi Mumbai, due to some sensitive issue. Essential services, schools and colleges have been excluded from the bandh called by us," Jadhavrao said.

He also urged the community members to not commit suicide over the issue and maintain their calm.

Meanwhile, police officials have also been deployed across the state to contain any unpleasant situation. "Adequate police deployment has been done to ensure peaceful bandh," Manjunath Shinghe, Mumbai Police PRO said.

All departments and affiliated colleges of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad will remain closed today in view of the bandh.

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SC/ST ruling: Bharat bandh hits life in Punjab, Odisha; top 10 developments

Dalit groups around the country called Bhart Bandh after the Supreme Court recently diluted the Prevention of Atrocities against SC-ST Act. The apex court will hear a review petition today

Dalit organisations across the country have called a 'Bharat bandh' today to protest a recent Supreme Court ruling diluting the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989.

Early in the day, movement of trains in Odisha's Sambalpur was blocked by protesters on Monday, according to reports by news agency ANI.

The Bharat bandh has already brought Punjab to a standstill, as CBSE has postponed the board exams scheduled for April 2, and transport services have been suspended. According to an Indian Express report, several army units have been kept on a standby, should the situation take an ugly turn. Internet services in the state were suspended on Sunday and will remain so through Monday.

The Supreme Court, meanwhile, will later in the day hear a review petition filed on the matter by the government. The Centre is likely to tell the apex court that dilution of the Act will render it ineffective and prevent the dispensing of justice to the marginalised Dalit and tribal communities.

On March 20, the apex court had introduced the provision of anticipatory bail in the Act while directing that there would be no automatic arrest on any complaint filed under the law.

The Supreme Court said that the change was brought to protect honest public servants discharging duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act. The apex court said government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens, too, should be arrested only after an inquiry under the law.

Here are the top 10 developments around the so-called dilution of the Act and the Bharat bandh called by Dalit organisations across the country:

Padmavati row: Karni Sena wants Bharat Bandh, Bhansali gets security cover

Bhansali has been facing the ire of various groups and self-styled experts on what they term as 'erroneous' depiction of Rajput queen Rani Padmavati.

The Shri Rajput Karni Sena on Wednesday called for a 'Bharat Bandh' (shutdown) on December 1 if Sanjay Leela Bhansali's movie "Padmavati" releases on that date, while the Maharashtra government provided a precautionary security cover for the filmmaker in view of the increasing controversies and growing threats.

"We will hold rallies across the country, including Gurugram, Patna, Lucknow and Bhopal before the release date," Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder-patron of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, an organisation of the Rajput community, told media persons in Jaipur.

He said all communities, including Muslims, supported the Sena on the issue.

"We demand a complete ban on the film. Now, we don't want any pre-screening of the movie. All we want is a ban," he said.

He claimed that as per the Cinematography Act, the government can withhold the release of a movie for three months even after a go-ahead by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and it can be extended further.

"We request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter," Kalvi said.

Bhansali has been facing the ire of various groups and self-styled experts on what they term as 'erroneous' depiction of Rajput queen Rani Padmavati.

There have been protests and violence against Bhansali and opposition to the film right from the time it was being shot at various locales in different parts of India and now, as it prepares for release globally soon.

Barring these groups and individuals, the entire film fraternity and civil society members have expressed support to Bhansali for his latest film venture.

The Indian Film and Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) has thanked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for providing security cover to Bhansali, who lives and works in Mumbai.

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