Shiv Sena and NCP workers took out a rally during the bandh called by the Congress-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance to protest the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
The Maharashtra bandh called by three ruling parties against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which eight people, including farmers, was killed, received a mixed response in the state, with major cities such as Pune and Mumbai promoting the bandh, but rural and semi-urban Life in general remained largely unaffected. – Urban area.
In Mumbai, in which the Shiv Sena has a strong influence, shops and other business establishments remained closed, except for those engaged in the sale of essential commodities.
Barring sporadic incidents of violence like stone pelting, the bandh called by MVA allies Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP remained largely peaceful.
In the metropolis, police registered two FIRs, arrested 28 people for protesting during the day-long lockdown and violating COVID-19 norms, and later released them on bail, an official said. Over 200 people were also detained, an official said.
MVA leaders claimed the shutdown was “100% successful”, but the opposition BJP alleged that the shutdown was “imposed” on people using government machinery.
Public Transport – Buses suspended, trains unaffected due to stone pelting
Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (urban body’s transport service) buses and several traditional ‘kaali-yellow cabs’ remained off the roads, leading to heavy rush of commuters at stations of suburban trains, which continued to operate. unaffected
BEST bus service was suspended following incidents of stone pelting at some places in the metropolis. Around a dozen buses were damaged in the morning near Dharavi, Mankhurd, Shivaji Nagar, Charkop, Oshiwara, Deonar and Inorbit Mall, the transport body said in a statement.
AL Quadros, general secretary of the Mumbai Taximens Union, said, “Kali-yellow taxis were plying, but their numbers are very less. Taxi operations outside the city’s airport remained unaffected.”
Metro rail services also operated normally in the city. Railway officials said that suburban and outstation trains were operated without any disruption.
Government Railway Police (GRP) commissioner Kaiser Khalid said the protesters held demonstrations at three railway stations- Thane, Mulund and Vikhroli.
A BEST spokesperson said they operated 1,833 buses as against around 3,000 buses operated normally till 6.45 pm. A total of 11 buses, including one taken on lease by a private operator, were damaged, he said.
An official of MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) said outstation buses ply normally across the state.
“Out of 18,947 bus schedules, only 2,885 schedules, i.e. 15.23 per cent of the total, were canceled due to the bandh,” he said, adding that Buldhana district had the highest number of cancellations, followed by Latur and Kolhapur. .
Meanwhile, BEST union leader Shashank Rao claimed that more than 70 percent of BEST employees reported to be working, but buses were not brought on the roads by the administration “for reasons that were best known to them”. had gone. However, due to non-availability of BEST buses from the roads, the commuters had to face a lot of inconvenience.
JJ flyover looks almost deserted during Maharashtra bandh in Mumbai.
Some people complained that autorickshaw and taxi drivers took advantage of the situation to charge exorbitant fares.
Santosh Palve said, “I was not able to travel to work as BEST buses were off the roads. Since I am not authorized to travel in suburban trains (only fully immunized passes are being given), I was forced to work from home.” , an executive at a private firm in the northeastern suburb of Chembur who travels to work from Lalbaug in central Mumbai.
Ghatkopar resident Hemant Pawar said it was difficult to get auto-rickshaws to and from the (suburban) railway station in the morning. “After struggling to get an auto, I first went from home to Ghatkopar station and later walked 2 km from one station to another office in Malad under the scorching sun,” Pawar said.
Mumbai Police registered two FIRs and arrested 28 people in Kandivali and Samta Nagar areas, an official said.
According to the official, Kandivali and Samta Nagar police have registered two FIRs in the names of 14 people each. They were booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) such as 188 (disobedience to order of public servant) for violating norms and other offenses related to coronavirus. Also, those arrested were later released on bail.
Police have also registered three non-cognizable offenses against unknown persons at Dharavi, Mankhurd, Shivaji Nagar police stations for causing damage to buses.
Over 200 people have been detained from different parts of the metropolis under the Mumbai Police Act, the official said. Fashion Street, Natraj Market, Manish Market, Dadar Market and all major markets in Mumbai, except medical and essential shops, remained closed.
However, in the evening, life returned to normal in the city.
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Shiv Sena says bandh was 100% successful
Top NCP leaders – state president and senior minister in the MVA government Jayant Patil, his cabinet colleague Nawab Malik and NCP MP Supriya Sule – protested at Hutatma Chowk in south Mumbai, carrying placards and raising slogans against the BJP governments. Uttar Pradesh and in the Centre. Shiv Sena MLAs also staged a sit-in in support of the bandh.
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil, however, said the state government had nothing to do with the bandh that began on Sunday midnight as it was called by the ruling parties. He said that essential services have been kept out of the purview of the shutdown.
Jayant Patil told reporters, “The government has nothing to do with the bandh. All the three parties have called for the bandh. We have called for the bandh and even the people of the state are angry with the BJP government. That’s why they supporting us.” in daytime.
Talking to reporters, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, “The bandh was 100 per cent successful. People have participated in the bandh whole heartedly.”
On reports of violence during the bandh, Raut said, “Such minor incidents happen during protests all over the world.”
State Congress President Nana Patole said that everyone participated in the bandh.
Referring to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Patole said traders also participated in the bandh to protest against the BJP government at the Center being “crushed” with the “Gabbar Singh Tax”.
BJP says three-party government’s concern for farmers is “pure hypocrisy”
Hitting out at the Shiv Sena-led MVA over the bandh, the BJP said the three-party government’s concern for the farmers was “pure hypocrisy” and it did the “bandh” using government machinery.
The opposition party claimed that the bandh was organized to divert attention from the recent IT raids on premises belonging to relatives of Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis said that if the government is equally concerned about the farmers, then it should first give relief to the people affected by the unseasonal rains in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the violence that broke out during the farmers’ protest at Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3.
Life in other districts during Bandho
In thane In the neighboring district of Mumbai, which has several satellite cities, shops and commercial establishments remained closed and roads were deserted in many places.
Civic buses also remained off the roads, while some auto rickshaws were seen plying at some places. Workers of ruling allies took out placards and banners in Thane city, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan (in Thane) and Vasai (in Palghar) towns and raised slogans against the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri.
In Thane city, Shiv Sena workers thrashed auto-rickshaw drivers carrying passengers in violation of the bandh with canes. In many places, protesters forced shopkeepers to shut their shutters.
Local leaders of Shiv Sena forcibly closed shops and other activities in Kalyan town of Thane district. The bandh received a good response in Chandrapur town, where shops and hotels remained closed. Shiv Sena workers vandalized a ‘Shiv Bhoj’ hotel located near the bus stand in the city.
Notably, this hotel chain provides food at affordable rates to the underprivileged under the Shiv Bhoj Thali (Food Plate) scheme of the MVA government.
Local Congress MP Suresh alias Balu Dhanorkar led a motorcycle rally in Chandrapur, where the NCP organized a separate rally. In Pune, another metro city, most shops and business establishments remained closed.
Workers of MVA parties staged protests in several parts of the Vidarbha region, including Nagpur, which is its largest city. Congress Nagpur chief Vikas Thackeray along with other party leaders and workers took out a rally and appealed to shopkeepers to close their establishments.
However, schools, banks, several other markets, malls and traffic in Vidarbha’s Nagpur, Gondia, Yavatmal, Buldhana and Amravati districts operate normally.
In GondiaBusinesses refrained from closing their establishments during the festive season. Barring a few shops, most other business outlets remained open as usual.
In YavatmaliDemonstrations were held at Azad Maidan where Congress leader Manikrao Thackeray, as well as leaders of Shiv Sena and NCP, participated.
In buldhanaAll major markets remained closed for some time on the appeal of MVA leaders, but later opened. Major markets remained open in Amravati. Only a few shops remained closed for a while, but they too opened after some time.
In Aurangabad Districts of the Marathwada region, MVA allies organized a joint march from Kranti Chowk to Gulmandi, and later moved to the Shahganj area.
In hingoliShiv Sena workers submitted a memorandum to the District Collectorate demanding action against the accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Bandh got mixed response Nashik. Buses, autorickshaws and taxis are plying as usual on several routes in the district, officials said.
Officials said units were open in industrial areas at Satpur and Ambad within Nashik civic limits and in Gonde, Igatpuri, Sinnar, Dindori in Nashik district, though staff attendance was low.
Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) of Nashik, Sinnar, Igatpuri, Chandwad, Dindori, Satna, Pimpalgaon Baswant, Niphad, Lasalgaon and Yeola were closed.
(with inputs from PTI)
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