Dalit bodies’ bandh today, Punjab orders clampdown

Monday, 02/04/2018

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CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government on Sunday ordered a security clampdown across the state as a precautionary measure in view of Monday’s bandh by a number of Dalit organisations to protest the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act.

While ordering closure of all educational institutions and suspension of state-owned road transport services, the Punjab government has asked the army and paramilitary forces to be on alert. Mobile internet services in the state were suspended from 5 pm on Sunday till Monday evening in a bid to check rumourmongering on the social media.

The orders were issued after chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh reviewed the security arrangements with top police and administrative officials here. The review was followed by a video conference by the chief secretary with the deputy commissioners and other senior officials of all the districts.

Punjab has the highest concentration of scheduled castes among states. They constitute nearly 32% of the state’s 2.8 crore population.

Officials said four battalions of the Rapid Action Force, four of Border Security Force, along with 12,000 additional police personnel will remain on duty Monday to maintain law and order.

“PRTC, Punjab Roadways and PunBus, as well as buses run by private operators, would not ply on the roads through the bandh duration,” said an official.

All the educational institutions, government or private, will remain closed on April 2 as a precautionary measure, he added. The final practical examinations of Class 10 and 12 of PSEB, which were scheduled to be held on Monday, will now be held on April 11.

The government has also appointed special executive magistrates for the maintenance of law and order, up to April 3, 2018, in their respective districts.

While issuing strict orders to police and security forces to deal with any attempt to disturb the peace and harmony in the state with an iron hand, the chief minister reiterated his appeal to the organisations, that have called the bandh not to take the law in their own hands and, in particular, not to impede transport movement in any way or harass commuters.

Amarinder also appealed to the protesters to ensure that the mortal remains of the Iraq victims, that are expected to arrive in Amritsar on Monday, are allowed to be transported to their native villages without any impediment. Noting that the central government had already announced its decision to file a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict, Captain appealed to the SC/ST community to defer protest.