Nagpur: Shops and businesses across the city were shut, and bus services in the city and outside were affected for the most part of the day on Monday due to the bandh called by opposition parties. Stray stone pelting was the only violence reported, which resulted in at least three Red buses being damaged. MSRTC suffered revenue loss of over Rs20 lakh as nearly 90% of the outstation services were suspended.
The bandh called by Congress president Rahul Gandhi had the support of other opposition parties, and was to protest increasing prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas over last four years of the BJP government. Slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi were raised by the Congress, which managed to put up an unprecedented show of unity.
Breaking free from factional divides, Congress leaders came on to the streets and marched shoulder to shoulder for the first time in three years. Deployment of AICC observer Ashish Dua to oversee the bandh seems to have worked, as no leader wanted to be seen missing from the action. City unit president Vikas Thakre, district (rural) chief Rajendra Mulak and senior leaders like Mukul Wasnik, Vilas Muttemwar, Nitin Raut, Sunil Kedar etc gathered at Ram Nagar Square and marched through Gokulpeth to Shankar Nagar to enforce the bandh.
A case was registered at Rana Pratap Nagar and Bajaj Nagar police stations for damage caused to the same bus by unidentified motorbike borne activists, who threw stones that shattered its front and rear windscreens. One Nilesh Khodghare was detained for throwing stones at a shop at Sakkardara. The bandh was most effective in East Nagpur, where three Congress teams led by Abhijit Wanjari, Umakant Agnihotri and Atul Londhe were active.
The district administration had declared Pola holiday for offices and state board schools while CBSE schools and central government offices functioned normally. Pola (worshipping bullocks) is a major festival in the region, also on this day ‘Marbat’ processions to ward off evils are a big draw, leading to wholesale markets in busy Itwari, Gandhibagh, and Mahal remaining closed on this day every year.
However, the Congress, helped by the MNS and NCP workers, forced shops and establishments to down shutters in Sitabuldi and Dharampeth between 11am and 3pm. After that, it was business as usual across the city as activists withdrew post-lunch and photo opportunities. “We told party workers to exercise restraint and not indulge in stone pelting,” said Muttemwar, who criss-crossed the city to inspect the strike. Mulak and his team covered the rural areas of the district.
MSRTC divisional controller Ashok Warthe said bus service was smooth in the morning. But later, as many as 836 of the 930 buses were not operated on outstation routes to avoid damage. The disruption caused an income loss of at least Rs20 lakh, he added.
The bandh evoked a good response in Chandrapur, with all markets, institutions, buses and petrol pumps remaining closed. Groups led by former state general secretary of Youth Congress Rahul Puglia, opposition leader in municipal corporation Dr Suresh Mahakulkar, and Gajanan Gawande went through the markets shouting slogans and shutting down shops. However, most businesses opened after 3pm. The bandh also evoked good response in rural areas of the district.
In Amravati, there was moderate response, even as police booked 11 MNS activists for pelting stones at shops and forcing them to pull down shutters. Hotels, theatres, schools and shops remained open. CITU extended its support by taking out a rally. The Congress also took out a rally under the leadership of Raosaheb Shekhavat. At Walgaon, MPCC secretary Prakash Sable led a chakka jam, holding up traffic for hours.
In Yavatmal, the bandh received overwhelming response from the business community. The near total bandh saw no untoward incident. Even as government, semi-government offices and banking and postal institutions functioned as usual, ST buses and autorickshaws did not ply, and educational institutions also remained closed.
A delegation led by MLCs Dr Wazahat Mirza of Congress and Kwaja Baig of NCP met collector Dr Sanjay Deshmukh and submitted a memorandum. In Pusad, a delegation led by MLA and NCP stalwart Manoharrao Naik and Congress leader Dr Nadeem Khan met the SDO. In Wani, ex-MLA Wamanrao Kasawar led the delegation to the SDO.
