By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Patna witnessed intense protests during the Bharat Bandh on the issue of reservation, leading to police resorting to lathi charge to control the situation. The bandh supporters, who had been protesting since Wednesday morning, caused major disruptions, especially on Bailey Road, where traffic was halted for more than three hours. The situation escalated near Ruknpura, where protesters blocked the road from both sides, causing ambulances and other vehicles to be stuck in a massive jam.
In an effort to restore order and clear the traffic, the police used force, which led to clashes between the protesters and the police. Stones were thrown at the police, resulting in a head injury to one officer who is currently receiving medical treatment.
Rupaspur police station officials struggled for over three hours to restore normalcy as protesters tried to halt any forward movement of vehicles, even going so far as to remove keys from them. The general public suffered significantly due to the disruption.
Komal Kumari, a protester, voiced her concern, stating that their reservation was under threat, and they would not tolerate any tampering with it. Another protester, Kunal Kumar, expressed similar sentiments, though he admitted to not having complete information about the issue or the Supreme Court’s statement on it.
The Bharat Bandh was called by Dalit and tribal organizations in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to create a separate category for the creamy layer within the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe reservation. This has been met with opposition, as many believe it violates the principles of the Constitution.
The protests led to disruptions in rail services and road blockades across Bihar, with the police in various districts being put on high alert. In Patna, the situation took a surprising turn when a lathi charge resulted in a constable mistakenly hitting Patna’s SDO Shrikant Khandalekar with a stick, causing him to be momentarily taken aback. The incident occurred while the SDO was attempting to manage the situation and communicate with the protesters.
The day ended with the police taking control of the situation, using water cannons and lathi charges to disperse the crowds. The incident highlights the tension surrounding the issue of reservation and the lengths to which both protesters and law enforcement are willing to go.
