Tag Archives: Bandh

Bharat Bandh: Most Affected Places

by

1


In the protest against the hiked petrol prices in the country, the left and the right aligned against the government. Since it is a major issue concerning the people, many non aligned UPA parties and some UPA allies too, came up with their support to the nationwide agitation declared by BJP.  There were mixed responses to the protest since it remained calm in some places while some alienated incidents of violence were also reported. Here is the list of most affected places during the Bharat bandh based on NDTV reports.

Maharashtra:

Maharashtra faced the most number of attacks in the current Bharat bandh. The impact of the bandh was mostly on the major city of this state, Mumbai. The city has reported many stone-pelting incidents. Minimum around 68 buses were damaged and many buses were set on fire. The impact of the bandh was clearly visible from the decreased number of passengers in the local trains. The number of Autos and taxis on the road was also very less comparing to the normal working days. Good number minimum 48,000 police personnel were positioned in the sensitive areas of the city

Buses were forcefully stopped from service mainly in Satara and Nagpur. Many business establishments too were forcefully shut down. The protesters even tried to stop Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan‘s convoy.

Delhi:

There were very much inconveniences caused by the protesters in the capital city. BJP activists blocked many crucial junctions and staged demonstrations in the city. This had a major impact on the city traffic. Many of the office-goers literally suffered when the protesters blocked an arterial road that connects Ghaziabad to Delhi. The Bandh was also joined by auto rickshaw and taxi unions causing more difficulty to the passengers. The traffic issues on the roads made crowding and delays in the metro station in the city.

Besides these many BJP leaders including Ananth Kumar and Vijay Goel have courted arrest in Delhi. Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury and D Raja were other prominent leaders who were taken in to custody during the protest.

Uttar Pradesh:

Besides being a UPA ally, the Utter Pradesh ruling Samajwadi Party had also registered its opposition to the petrol price hike by calling for a statewide bandh. The impact of the bandh was quite strong in Allahabad since SP activists blocked railway tracks and burnt effigies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Akhilesh Yadav-led government has also expressed its inability to take away the value added tax of the increased petrol price of the State. The Congress-ruled states like Delhi, Kerala and Uttarakhand had taken away the additional tax on petrol caused by the increase to reduce the impact of the hike.

Karnataka:

The Bandh has disturbed the normal life of Karnataka very much. In the BJP ruled state three buses were set on fire and a dozen of buses were stoned. The authorities were forced to withdraw the bus services in Bangalore. The inconvenience caused by the bus service caused many to stay back at home. Most of the business establishments and shops remained closed in the several parts of the state.

West Bengal:

Bengal, ruled by the Trinamool Congress was impacted from the bandh. People were very less in number on the streets. The supporters of bandh blocked many roads including Howrah Bridge, a major bridge which connects the metropolis to the Howrah district. There are no incidences of violence reported in the city. Some taxis and autos were also running on the streets.

Other Major Impacts

The bandh also affected train services in Bihar and Jharkhand. Three Rajdhani trains – Delhi-Howrah, Delhi-Sealdah and Delhi-Bhubneshwar – were stopped near Koderma. Rail roko in Patna staged by JD(U) workers also affected local train services.

While protesting in Bihar, the president of the ruling anata Dal (United) and the Convenor of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was arrested in Saharsa while BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain was arrested in Bhagalpur.

Related articles

Economic Blockade in Manipur enters 93rd Day, 48 hr Bandh Call

by

0


The crippling economic blockades on two national highways in Manipur entered the 93rd day today, even as one of the sponsors called for a 48-hour bandh in five hill districts from midnight tonight to mount pressure on the government. A spokesman of the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) said a 48-hour bandh has been called in Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel and Churachandpur districts. It would be followed by an indefinite general strike and bandh in the Sadar Hills in Senapati district till the government agreed to its demand, he said.

The SHDDC has demanded conversion of Kuki-majority Sadar hills area in Naga-majority Senapati district into a full fledged revenue district. It has been blockading the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati (NH 39) and Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar (NH 53) since August 1. Opposing this, the United Naga Council, blockaded the two national highways since August 21. The efforts to ferry in supplies from outside the state by security forces were being disturbed by volunteers picketting on the national highways, official sources said. This has resulted in suffering for a population of 27 lakh in the state which is spread over 22,327 square kilometres. The cabinet has met seven times on the issue of Sadar Hills in the past two months, but could not take a decision fearing an ethnic clash between Nagas and Kukis, they said.

Over 1000 people were killed in the early 1990s in Kuki-Naga clashes in hill districts because the Nagas wanted to drive out Kukis from Naga-settled areas, they added. Prior to the blockades, over 300 trucks brought in essential supplies one or twice a week on the two national highways with security escort. The price of cooking gas which cost about Rs 400 has gone upto Rs 1650 per cylinder, petrol which costs Rs 50 per litre has gone upto Rs 120 or more in the black market. Prices of onions, potatoes, and other essentials have also shot up considerably.

Related articles