Bharat Bandh: Schools, colleges to remain shut in parts of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday

NEW DELHI: In the wake of violent protests by Dalit groups against the Supreme Court's order over SC/ST Act, schools and colleges except those conducting board examinations will remain shut in parts of Uttar Pradesh on April 3, Tuesday. 

Schools and colleges will remain close in Agra, Hapur, Ghaziabad and Meerut. The District Magistrate of Meerut said that no classes will be held from standard 1 till degree college for a day on Tuesday. The board exams of class 10 and 12 along with the university exams will, however, be conducted as scheduled.

Several Dalit organisations had called for a Bharat Bandh on Monday against the amendment under the SC/ST Act. 

Violence erupted in many parts of the country as Dalit protesters blocked trains, clashed with police and set fire to vehicles during a nationwide bandh against the Supreme Court order on SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

While some states had ordered the closure of educational institutions as a precautionary measure, incidents of arson, firing and vandalism were reported from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Punjab, among other places.

Meanwhile, the CBSE said that the exams of classes 10 and 12 were conducted smoothly on Monday across the country as per the schedule.

On March 20, the Supreme Court had diluted the provisions of the Act and had said that government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens, too, should be arrested only after an inquiry under the law.

Transport, mobile and internet services were hit in many states with over 100 trains getting affected due to protests, even as the Centre moved the SC seeking review of its judgement, maintaining that the verdict will violate constitutional rights of these communities.