Normal life was affected on Tuesday in several districts of West Bengal as the supporters of political parties tried to enforce a bandh. While in several districts of south Bengal supporters of the Left parties tried to enforce the Bharat Bandh called by farmers by blocking railways and roads, in north Bengal it was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters who tried to enforce a bandh against the violence at Siliguri on Monday.
Left supporters tried to block suburban Railways by throwing banana leaves on the overhead railway lines. Eastern Railway officials said that obstructions to the Railway movement were at Diamond Harbour section and at Jadavpur, Rishra, Ashoknagar railway sections. Bandh supporters squatted on railway tracks with flags and even climbed train engines. Twentysix trains were cancelled in the Sealdah section due to these obstructions.
At several places in the city and suburbs, the Left supporters blocked roads and played football and other games blocking vehicular traffic. At Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman they asked people on board a State-run bus to get down from the vehicle. Leaders of the Left parties and the Congress brought out rallies at several places in Kolkata and in the districts. Shops and commercial establishment remained shut at various places in the city and the district. There were fewer private vehicles on the streets.
Meanwhile, in north Bengal supporters of the BJP blocked roads by burning tyres at Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts. There were fewer vehicles at Siliguri Tenzing Norgay bus stand, the biggest in Siliguri. BJP supporters also tried to enforce bandh at Malda. In the town, BJP supporters closed the post office and forced employees out of it. BJP MLA from Malda Swadhin Kumar Sarkar was detained for trying to enforce the bandh.
Except the Trinamool Congress, supporters of all political parties tried to enforce a bandh in different parts of the State. The Trinamool Congress leadership, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has extended moral support to Bharat Bandh.