Patna: Chirag Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party's parliamentary board chairman, said the Bharat bandh and protests on the streets were expected, as Dalits and tribal communities in the country are angry and disappointed.

The Jamui MP stood by the Dalit outfits staging protests against amendments in the SC/ST Act, and said his party president - father Ram Vilas Paswan - has pressed for a review petition.

Chirag, the second in command in NDA partner LJP, said the party has also met BJP president Amit Shah and Bihar BJP in-charge Bhupender Yadav on the matter.

Rights of Dalits and tribals should be protected, Chirag said in a statement to the press, adding that his party will always stand by SC/ST rights.

Ram Vilas Paswan, who quit the NDA after the 2002 Gujarat riots and later rejoined the alliance ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, has a reputation to move according to the direction of political winds. But last week he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and informed him about the ramifications of bringing in changes in the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Chirag said: "The Prime Minister listened to the delegation and assured of taking appropriate steps in this connection."

Sources said the Centre on Monday filed a review petition in the Supreme Court. Chirag said: "It was Ram Vilas Paswan who pressed the VP Singh government in 1989 to introduce the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The government stands by the Act and demands to make it more stringent."

He also demanded the Modi government to introduce reservation in the judiciary.

Expansion drive

The party has called a meeting of all its office-bearers, including MPs, MLAs and MLCs, on April 8. Ram Vilas Paswan will chair the meeting in which, state spokesperson Shravan Kumar Agarwal said, decisions on major organisational expansion and revamp would be taken.

The party will also discuss preparations for B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary at Bapu Sabhagar here on April 14.