New Delhi- The Bahujan organisations have called for a nationwide bandh (strike) on August 21 to protest against the recent Supreme Court ruling that permits sub-classification within reservation categories for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). The call has been made by Satpal Tanwar of the Bhim Sena which is widely gaining support from hundreds of activists and Bahujan led socio-political organisations,

This decision has sparked widespread discontent among various social and political groups, leading to calls for a significant demonstration of dissent.

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling allows for the division of existing reservation quotas among different sub-categories within the SC and ST groups. This decision has been criticized by numerous academicians, scholars, and leaders who argue that it undermines the original intent of affirmative action policies aimed at uplifting historically marginalized communities.

The bandh call has garnered support from a range of activist groups and civil society organizations. Protesters are expected to demonstrate in major cities and towns across India. The bandh aims to disrupt normal activities and draw attention to the perceived injustices of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

In response to the ruling, a group of affected parties is preparing to file a review petition before the Supreme Court. This legal challenge seeks to overturn or modify the ruling, arguing that it contradicts the principles of equality and justice enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

In a social media post, Hansraj Meena , Founder of Tribal Army wrote: Manuvadis say that this Raju should be classified in SC so that he can get the benefit of reservation. But BJP spent Raju's budget on cow and religion welfare, due to which his children could not study. Then where will the child reach? So should you let him get his rights from NFS?

Noted Filmmaker Pa Ranjith also condemned the court's ruling. He stated, "The recent Supreme Court discussion on introducing a 'creamy layer' for SC/ST reservations is deeply concerning and strongly condemned. Caste is a socio-cultural identity, not altered by economic status. Creamy layer in SC/ST categories undermines the essence of affirmative action aimed at social justice. Reservations are already insufficient relative to the SC/ST population, giving rise to significantly underrepresentation. The bench's Brahminical perspective fails to address the systemic oppression faced by SC/ST population, instead perpetuating further exclusion. The focus should be on expanding quotas to reflect demographic realities, not creating new divisions."

National political parties have largely remained silent on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling allowing sub-classification within SC/ST reservations, failing to clarify their positions.

In contrast, Ambedkarite parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) have strongly condemned the decision.

President of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Prakash Ambedkar, has criticized the judiciary for its lack of representation and its approach to marginalized communities. He stated, "The judiciary needs representation first! The judiciary is passing judgments on marginalized and discriminated castes (reserved categories) while patting themselves on the back. However, they fail to acknowledge that there is no representation from these communities within the judiciary itself. Instead, there is a clear backwardness among the upper castes, and there should be a discussion about classification within the general category. Why this hypocrisy?

The affirmative policy for SCs and STs is not merely an economic alleviation tool but a weapon of social justice. Dalits were historically excluded from administration and military recruitment, and the affirmative policy is intended to address this historical injustice against the oppressed."

Ambedkar urged the Dalits to hold accountable the so-called Dalit-supportive parties, such as the BJP and Congress, who have endorsed the classification decision affecting SCs.

Major parties within the INDIA alliance, including the Indian National Congress (INC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party (SP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (CPI), and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), have not yet issued any statements. Notably, except for the CPI(M), no other party has responded to the ruling, while the CPI's support for the sub-classification has been particularly controversial.