In the backdrop of Maratha community's demand to scrap the SC, ST (Prevention of) Atrocities Act, some Dalit and OBC organisations are going to organise 'Samvidhan' rally on December 24 in Mumbai to demand strengthening of this Act, among other things.
The decision to hold the rally was taken at a meeting held at Bhimchhaya Cultural Centre in Kalina area in Santacruz east, a statement said.
The meeting was attended by some lawyers, medical practitioners, professors and retired government officers, who are supporting the rally.
A bike and car rally will also be held on November 26 as a precursor to the 'Samvidhan' rally. The vehicle rally will conclude at 'Chaityabhoomi', the memorial of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, at Dadar in central Mumbai, the statement added.
"There will be an awareness convention on December 11 in Mumbai, where people from Dalit and OBC communities will be sensitised about their rights and the Constitution," the statement stated.
The Maratha community, which is a dominant force in Maharashtra politics, has been taking out silent marches in various towns across the state over the past few months, following the rape and murder of a girl at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July.
The community leaders have been pressing for scrapping of the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act), saying it is grossly misused, and also raised other demands like quota in in education and jobs.
(Reopens CES17)
Police also imposed Section 144 CrPC at HiTech Square to stop entry of farmers to the city from Cuttack side.
Angry over the police action, the farmers blocked the National Highway to protest their arrest in Jajpur also.
"We cannot allow any rally on the National Highway," said DCP Satyabrata Bhoi.
Police had a scuffle with farmers at Cuttack railway station after the forces detained them forcefully on way to the rally from Keonjahr in Barbil-Puri express.
The irate members of the organisation then staged a rail-roko for quite some time at the station.
Similar incident was also reported in Bhubaneswar station where hundreds of farmers coming from various places of Odisha were detained by police.
Dhenkanal police also confined some members of the farmers 'outfit at the local station today while around 20 at Raghunathpur station in Jagatsinghpur district, 18 at Jajpur station were also kept from proceeding.
Apprehending any trouble, 50 platoons (1 platton comprise 30 personnel) of force were deployed in and around the state capital with prohibitory orders in force for processions on National Highway passing through the town.
Meanwhile, the NKS has decided that the farmers across the state will wear black badge and put black flags near their house tomorrow protesting the police action against the farmers.
