Bharat will remain closed on August 21, 2024
BECAUSE of a Bharat Bandh called by the Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti. The agitation comes on the back of a recent Supreme Court judgment allowing states to make sub-categories within Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for reservation purposes. This was meant to give primacy to the ruling over anyone who is seen to be in need and is effective August 1, 2024; however, it has drawn a huge amount of backlash from several social and political groups that consider this to be an unjust ruling, potentially harmful toward the collective rights of their marginalized communities.
The Bharat Bandh is called to protest this decision and to press for its withdrawal. The organizers are expecting nationwide participation of different sections of organizations, and hence, preparations are being done to maintain public safety; more police are likely to be deployed in sensitive areas. All emergency services like ambulances will be available, but public transports are likely to be hampered, and many business units may remain closed in support of the strike.
## What are key demands of Bharat Bandh organisers?
The key demands of the organisers of the planned Bharat Bandh to be observed on August 21, 2024, revolve mainly around the opposition to a recent order passed by the Supreme Court that allows states to form sub-categories within SCs and STs for the purpose of reservations. The key demands are as follows:
Review-related to Supreme Court’s judgment– The organizers are protesting that the judgment passed where SC and ST groups can sub-categorize to be nullified or else it will be an act against their collective rights.
Reservation rights safeguard: The democrats are protesting that let the existing reservation facility continues without any type of fractional reservation or folding of the reservation, which will act as a hindrance to the certain groups that will not get benefited from SC and ST lists.
Support from various social and political groups: The purpose of the bandh is to bring various groups and communities together to oppose the judgment in unison, which, they believe, will reduce access to a few extremely important benefits for marginalised sections.
The strike is expected to be a massive one, therefore causing huge disruption in public transportation and business in the entire state.
Protests are likely to implicate every aspect of daily life for rural residents, notably instances of heightened activism, similar to the threats posed by the upcoming Bharat Bandh scheduled for 21st August 2024. The following are a few of the main implications:
Transportation and Chains of Supply Get Disrupted
Transport Services: Most protests lead to the suspension of local transport services, hence affecting movement and the transportation of people and goods. It greatly disrupts access to markets or other vital services, areas mostly affected being rural ones where it is relatively hard to access or receive foodstuffs and medical supplies, among others.
Supply Chain Disruptions: Farmers and transport unions will curtail the supply of agricultural and other produce, therefore, create a deficit in the markets for basic food stuffs. This will further escalate prices and diminish availability, affecting the livelihood of the rural community dependent on such supplies.
#Economic Impact
Loss of income: Most rural laborers depend on daily wages from agriculture or local businesses. The protests make shops and markets close, depriving most workers of their daily income. This is especially hard for low-income families to deal with.
Political Issues Awakening: The protests many a time raise awareness regarding agriculture policies, minimum support price (MSP), and other issues of farmers’ rights. This can lead to increased political engagement amongst rural voters as has been witnessed in the recent elections when the farmers’ protests did have their influence on voting behavior.
##Social and Psychological Effects
Higher Tension and Anxieties: Because of the uncertainties surrounding protests, anxiety runs high within rural communities. People may feel insecure about their safety and livelihood, thereby increasing the level of tension and apprehension over the future.
Community Coordination: An upside to protests is that coordinated action due to protests can finally foster a sense of solidarity among the community’s members who have the same grievances. This impetus may work to hold together stronger community bonds and collective action toward problem solutions but can also polarize opinions within the community.
Political Process Engagement: Protests are capable of mobilizing the rural population for greater participation in political processes, including elections and local governance. Increased political awareness will then enable rural voters to make their representatives more accountable.
While protests disrupt rural life, they also act as a means to increase political engagement and raise awareness about pertinent issues affecting rural communities.
## Which State Will Be Closed on 21st August 2024?
Many states across India are likely to remain closed on 21st August 2024, as most political parties have called a Bharat Bandh in the nation to protest against the Supreme Court’s order on the question of sub-categorization within SC and ST. It is to be noted that no particular states have been mentioned to remain closed, but the likelihood of the bandh impacting looks towards:
Delhi: Schools, colleges and shops are likely to remain closed in support of protests.
States with substantial tribal populations: States like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha can see massive participation in the bandh, due to which the local educational institutions and shops can remain closed.
Other states: Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are also likely to get affected since a lot of social and political outfits are participating in the protests.
The bandh is expected to have a huge impact on life across these states, including disruption in transport and closure of markets and schools.
