April 2018 caste protests in India
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{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = April 2018 caste protests in India
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| date = 2 April 2018
| place = India
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| causes = The Supreme Court order on the Atrocities Act
| goals = To prevent the dilution of the Atrocities Act
| methods = Protesting, mobbing, Bandh
| status =
| result = Parliament of India passes SC/ST Amendment act 2018, to overrule Supreme Court judgement
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| arrests = 100 (Haryana)
about 10000 (Uttar Pradesh)/>
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In early April 2018, thousands of people belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) protested across India against an order of the Supreme Court on the dilution of Atrocities Act. In subsequent violence, 14 Dalit people died and hundreds were injured.{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-not-against-scst-act-don-t-want-innocents-to-suffer-sc-while-hearing-review-petition-2600638|title=SC refuses to stay its order on SC/ST Act; to hear matter|date=3 April 2018|work=dna|access-date=3 April 2018|language=en-US}}{{cite news|title=India's Lower-Caste Dalits Lead Nationwide Protests Against Court Judgment|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/04/02/world/asia/02reuters-india-caste.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407185622/https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/04/02/world/asia/02reuters-india-caste.html|archivedate=7 April 2018|accessdate=7 April 2018|work=The New York Times|agency=REUTERS|date=April 2, 2018}}{{cite news|title=Anger in India as Lowest Caste Protests Supreme Court Order|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/04/02/world/asia/ap-as-india-caste-protests.html|work=The New York Times|agency=THE ASSOCIATED PRESS|date=April 2, 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407190009/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/04/02/world/asia/ap-as-india-caste-protests.html|archivedate=7 April 2018|accessdate=15 December 2018}}{{cite news|title=Eight dead in massive India caste protests|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-43616242|accessdate=7 April 2018|work=BBC|date=2 April 2018}}
Later, the Parliament of India passed the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2018, which reversed the Supreme Court judgement.{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/house-clears-bill-reverse-sc-686669.html|title=House clears bill to reverse SC verdict on SC/ST Act|access-date=10 August 2020|language=en}} The amendment act was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2020.{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-verdict-sc-st-atrocities-act-6259976/|title=Supreme Court upholds constitutional validity of SC & ST Amendment Act, 2018|access-date=10 February 2020|language=en}}
Background
The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 protects the SC/ST caste groups. The act does not allow the court to grant anticipatory bail to accused person. The police must file a First Information Report (FIR) and arrest the accused on receiving a complaint. In 2016, the conviction rate under the act was 25.7% in cases of atrocities against SC and 20.8% in cases against ST in 2016, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.{{Cite news|url=https://scroll.in/article/873072/supreme-court-says-sc-st-atrocities-act-is-misused-so-what-explains-the-low-conviction-rates|title=Supreme Court says SC/ST Atrocities Act is misused. So what explains the low conviction rates?|last=Johari|first=Aarefa|work=Scroll.in|access-date=3 April 2018|language=en-US}} On 20 March 2018, the Supreme Court of India ruled that no arrests can be made without prior permission and allowed a court to grant an anticipatory bail if it, prima facie, finds the complaint an abuse of the law.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/dalit-fury-and-what-led-up-to-it/articleshow/63596287.cms|title=Dalit fury and what led up to it|work=The Times of India|access-date=3 April 2018}} The Attorney General of India, on behalf of the Government of India, filed a review petition against the order of the Supreme Court.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-st-act-centre-files-review-petition-says-data-shows-weak-execution-of-law-not-its-misuse/story-UYTUwgBR9DtRzcWkjWgSsN.html|title=SC/ST Act: Centre files review petition, says data shows weak execution of law, not its misuse|date=2 April 2018|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=3 April 2018|language=en}}
Protests
The people from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) protested against the Supreme Court order.{{citation |title='Bharat Bandh' against SC's ruling on SC/ST Act: Top developments |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bharat-bandh-against-the-scs-ruling-on-sc/st-act-top-developments/articleshow/63584287.cms |work=The Times of India |date=3 April 2018 }} Thousands of people took to the streets on 2 April 2018, when a national strike was announced by representatives of the SC/ST caste groups in protest of the decision. The protests turned violent across several states in India as the protestors blocked trains, damaged property, and clashed with police and other civilians. There were also incidents involving arson, vandalism and gunfire. At least fourteen people were killed: nine in Madhya Pradesh,{{cite news|last1=Naveen|first1=P|title=Bharat bandh: Death toll in Madhya Pradesh hits 7, 51 FIRs lodged|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/bharat-bandh-death-toll-in-madhya-pradesh-hits-7-51-firs-lodged/articleshow/63595081.cms|accessdate=5 April 2018|work=Times of India|date=3 April 2018}} Three in Uttar Pradesh, two in Rajasthan; hundreds of others were injured.{{cite news|last1=Wu|first1=Huizhong|title=10 killed as widespread Indian caste protests turn violent|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/02/asia/dalit-protests-india-intl/index.html|accessdate=5 April 2018|work=CNN|date=3 April 2018}}{{cite news|title=Bharat Bandh: 9 killed in Dalits protest over SC, ST act; train, internet services hit; top highlights|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/bharat-bandh-9-killed-in-dalits-protest-over-sc-st-act-train-internet-services-hit-top-highlights/1119347/|accessdate=7 April 2018|work=Financial Express|date=April 3, 2018}} Violent incidents were also reported in the states Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi.{{Cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/bharat-bandh-live-will-bring-modi-govt-to-its-knees-says-mayawati-as-five-die-in-violent-protests-1705153.html|title=Bharat Bandh LIVE: Nine Dead; 1,700 Anti-riot Police Personnel Sent to Violence-hit States|date=2 April 2018|work=News18|access-date=3 April 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bharat-bandh-live-mobile-internet-services-suspended-security-clampdown-in-punjab/story-4pBLmzsxGa2aRyKYBlmQ0K.html|title=Bharat bandh highlights: Dalit protests spread across north India; 9 killed in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, UP|date=2 April 2018|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=3 April 2018|language=en}}
Suspected non-Dalit groups, who were angered by the rampage, targeted Dalit slums in retaliation and burnt the house of Bharosi Lal Jatav, a former MLA Indian National Congress (INC) legislator, and ransacked the home of Rajkumari Jatav, a MLA Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Hindaun, Rajasthan. A curfew was imposed in Hindaun following the violence, and later extended.{{cite news|last1=Goswami|first1=Rakesh|title=Dalit protests: Normalcy returns to Rajasthan's Hindaun but curfew remains|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dalit-protests-normalcy-returns-to-rajasthan-s-hindaun-but-curfew-remains/story-sBezApOM4SxDEYov0s80uI.html|accessdate=5 April 2018|work=Hindustan Times|date=4 April 2018}}
Twenty four government vehicles and sixty private vehicles were damaged in Haryana. 84 police officials and eight civilians were injured during the violence on 2 April in Haryana. Nine policemen were injured in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Response
Thousands of protesters were arrested and curfew was imposed in several places. 1700 anti-riot police were sent to states by the Government of India. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) (which prohibits assembly of more than four people) was imposed in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.{{cite news|title=Bharat Bandh: Section 144 imposed in Haridwar|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/bharat-bandh-section-144-imposed-in-haridwar-118040300027_1.html|accessdate=5 April 2018|work=Business Standard|agency=ANI|date=3 April 2018}} Police had filed reports against 5,000 unidentified and 285 named miscreants, while 32 agitators were arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code in Ghaziabad.{{cite news|title=Dalit protests: 5,000 booked, 32 arrested for violence and arson in Ghaziabad|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/dalit-protests-5000-booked-32-arrested-for-violence-and-arson-in-ghaziabad-5122906/|accessdate=5 April 2018|work=The Indian Express|agency=PTI|date=4 April 2018}} At least fifteen FIRs were registered by the police in Ludhiana, Punjab against hundreds of unidentified protesters for alleged road blockades and for causing obstructions.{{cite news|title=Dalit protests: 15 FIRs against protesters in Ludhiana|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ludhiana/dalit-protests-15-firs-against-protesters-in-ludhiana-5122510/|accessdate=5 April 2018|work=The Indian Express|date=4 April 2018}} The Haryana Police booked around 4,000 persons and 100 others were arrested for indulging in violence while as many as 47 FIRs were lodged.{{cite news|title=Violence during Bharat Bandh: 100 arrested in Haryana|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/violence-during-bharat-bandh-100-arrested-in-haryana-5122513/|accessdate=5 April 2018|work=The Indian Express|date=4 April 2018}} The internet services were suspended in Punjab and Rajasthan.{{cite news|title=Dalits in India hold protests against 'dilution' of SC/ST Act|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/dalits-india-hold-protests-dilution-scst-act-180402082213061.html|accessdate=5 April 2018|work=Al Jazeera|date=2 April 2018}}
Aftermath
The Supreme Court held hearing on the review petition on 3 April 2018 but did not stay the order and have called to hear the matter in ten days
Later, the Parliament of India passed the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2018, which reversed the Supreme Court judgement.{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/house-clears-bill-reverse-sc-686669.html|title=House clears bill to reverse SC verdict on SC/ST Act|access-date=10 August 2020|language=en}} The amendment act was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2020.{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-verdict-sc-st-atrocities-act-6259976/|title=Supreme Court upholds constitutional validity of SC & ST Amendment Act, 2018|access-date=10 February 2020|language=en}}
References
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