– A collective of Adivasi-Dalit organisations in Kerala will organise a Statewide hartal on August 21, 2024, in protest against a Supreme Court ruling permitting sub-classification within reservation categories for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
– The protest is part of a nationwide bandh called by Bahujan organisations against the recent verdict by the apex court.
– Wayanad district has been exempted from the hartal due to a recent landslide disaster.
– The collective is calling on the Centre to pass legislation to overturn the ruling by a seven-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court.
– The collective criticized the Supreme Court for cancelling powers of the President and Parliament in making inclusions or exclusions in the Scheduled Castes List.
– The collective also opposes the decision by the UPSC to advertise vacancies for 45 posts in Central Ministries through lateral entry, calling it against the Constitution and detrimental to youth opportunities.
– Additionally, the collective has demanded a comprehensive caste census at the national level.