Dalits protest in Bihar against order on SC/ST Act

*Patna (IANS): *Thousands of Dalit members on Monday staged protests across

Bihar on Monday against the dilution of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities

Act, disrupting rail and road traffic, police said.





With posters, banners, and flags, supporters of the Bhim Army and other

Dalit organizations, halted over a dozen long-distance trains, and as a

result, passengers were stranded at Patna, Gaya, Jehanabad, Bhagalpur, Ara,

Darbhanga, Araria, Nalanda and Hajipur railway stations.





"Train services have been badly disrupted due to the protest, leaving

hundreds stranded at railway stations," an East Central Railway official

told IANS over the phone from Hajipur, the zonal headquarters.





At some places, the protesters have also blocked national and state

highways.





In Patna, hundreds of Bhim Army workers took to the streets to protest and

enforce a shutdown.





"In several localities in Patna, supporters of the Bhim Army forced shops

to close and blocked roads by burning tires," a district police official

said.





According to reports, the protests were supported by the opposition

Rashtriya Janata Dal and left parties.





Of Bihar's total 10.5 crore population, scheduled castes account for 15.5

lakhs.
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