Bharat Bandh called on May 25 over demand of caste-based census of OBCs
The All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) has called for a Bharat Bandh on Wednesday (May 25) over the Centre not conducting a caste-based census for the Other Backward Classes (OBC), Neeraj Dhiman, the Saharanpur District President of the Bahujan Mukti Party (BMP) said.
In addition to the demand of the caste-based census, the federation is also protesting against the use of EVMs during elections and the issue of reservations for the SC/ST/OBC in private sectors. Apart from the BAMCEF, the bandh has also garnered support of the Bahujan Mukti Party, whose acting state president DP Singh has urged the people to make it successful. Waman Meshram, the National convener of Bahujan Kranti Morcha, has also extended his support to the Bharat Bandh on May 25.
The federation is demanding the action in protest against the central government not conducting a caste-based census for the Other Backward Classes (OBC).
The bandh has attracted support from Waman Meshram, the National convener of Bahujan Kranti Morcha, along with the National Parivartan Morcha, Bharat Mukti Morcha, Bahujan Kranti Morcha and all its affiliated organisations.
The Bharat Bandh called by various outfits to press for the demand of caste-based census of OBCs has been peaceful so far. A total of 148 places in 18 states were affected by the bandh, police said on Monday morning.” Though there have been incidents of violence, they are sporadic and not widespread,” a senior official said.
The demands of the protesters include:
No use of EVMs in elections.
Caste-based census.
SC/ST/OBC reservations in the private sector.
Guaranteed MSP for farmers.
No implementation of NRC/CAA/NPR.
Resumption of the old pension scheme.
Separate electorates in OBC reservation in Panchayat elections in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.
No displacement of tribal people under the garb of environmental protection.
Making vaccination optional.
Protection against labour laws that were secretly made against workers during the Covid-19 lockdown.