The Bharat Band by Dalits was not due to a call by a particular Dalit leader, rather it was the result of suffocation faced by Dalits for the past 3, 4 years. The Modi government whom they brought to power thinking it their sympathizer had turned a blind eye against them.
Atrocities against Dalits, caste-based discrimination is ingrained in Indian society. They faced atrocities from Gujarat to Uttar Pradesh and from Rajasthan to Madhya Pradesh. Dalits were beaten for removing the skin of dead cow; Dalit youth were killed just because they dared to sell horses.
There is severe resentment among the Dalits over the campaign run on social media to end reservation. To add to their woes Supreme Court has changed certain provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act saying that they were misused. This has further angered Dalit groups.
Police attitude during the Bharat Band raises the question why the police didn’t show strictness towards the Karni Sena goons who protested against Padmaavat film as they did against Dalits. Police attitude proves that there is double standard in dealing with public movements.