SC/ST Act: The Dalit organisations had called for a Bharat Bandh nationwide on Monday to oppose the Supreme Court’s decision of diluting the SC/ST Act. The nation-wide Bandh was called after the Supreme Court on March 20 laid new guidelines that protect public servants from immediate arrest after a complaint is filed against them under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act) was amended by the Supreme Court lately to include new crimes and guarantee a speedy justice to the victims. The top court had recently banned the automatic arrests and registration of criminal cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The law protects the SC/ST communities from atrocities and discrimination.