Bhopal, Sep 6: Security has been beefed up across Madhya Pradesh given the Bharat Bandh today, called by 35 organisations to protest against the SC/ST Amendment Act. Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders have been issued under section 144 of Crpc in some areas to prevent any untoward incident during the Bharat Bandh protest today.

Section 144 has been imposed in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, Chhatarpur, Shivpuri, Bhind, Ashoknagar and Guna. About 150 organisations of upper castes and OBCs would participate in the Bharat Bandh against the amendments in SC/ST Act, Brahma Samagam Sawarna Jankalyan Sangathan’s national president Dharmendra Sharma said.

"Through the social media and pamphlets, we came to know that some organisations are planning a Bharat Bandh against the amendments in the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following which the security has been beefed up in the state," Makrand Deuskar, Inspector General of Police (Intelligence), told IANS. All You Need to Know About Bharat Bandh.

While the government offices will remain open across Madhya Pradesh during Bharat Bandh, petrol pumps will be shut. All schools and colleges in Gwalior will remain closed. On April 2, a Bharat Bandh called by Dalit groups against the alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by a Supreme Court order had led to violence and arson in many parts of the state.

Eight people had died in Madhya Pradesh during the violent protest. To soothe the Dalit anger, the central government later bought the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill which overturned the Supreme Court order. Hence, the state government is leaving no stone unturned to maintain law and order in the state in the wake of the September 6 Bharat Bandh.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 06, 2018 12:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).