Bharat Bandh Today: Life Hit In Some States As Farmers Take National Centre Stage

Normal life was affected in Odisha on Tuesday as Congress and Left supporters blocked roads and railway tracks along with trade unionists to enforce the nationwide shutdown.

Roads wore a deserted look as vehicular movement came to a halt with the supporters of the 'Bharat Bandh' blocking highways and major roads, and staging demonstrations.

Train services were also affected as activists of farmers' organisations, trade unions and political parties held sit-ins on railway tracks in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Bhadrak and Balasore.

In the state capital, movement of vehicles was disrupted as the bandh supporters blocked roads by burning tyres at different places, including Master Canteen Square and Jaydev Vihar. They also picketed on the tracks at Bhubaneswar railway station.

While a large number of passengers were seen stranded at Baramunda bus terminus in Bhubaneswar, many trucks and buses were stranded on the highway near Jaydev Square. The movements of auto-rickshaws and taxis were also hit.

Vehicular movement was also hit in Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak, Sundargarh, Bhawanipatna, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Khurda and Puri.

Activists of Nabanirman Krushak Sanghathan staged demonstrations in Jagatsinghpur and Hansapal near Bhubaneswar.

While essential services were kept out of the purview of the shutdown, markets, shopping malls and petrol pumps remained shut in most places.

The shutdown was largely peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state, a senior police official said.

The Odisha Public Service Commission postponed the State Civil Services, 2019 GS Paper I & II main exam, which was scheduled to be held during the day, to January 2.

Opposition DMK and its allies including the Congress held protests across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry demanding the Centre repeal the three farm laws.

In the union territory, ruled by the Congress, the bandh call evoked a near total response with buses, taxis and autos staying off the roads and traders, retail outlets and other commercial establishments downing shutters to support the shutdown while government offices saw thin attendance.

In Tamil Nadu, public and private transportation and normal life was largely unaffected barring traffic congestion in the vicinity of protest locations.

Demonstrations were held at several regions including Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Cuddalore and neighbouring Puducherry in which farmers bodies and DMK's allies including the Congress, the CPI(M), CPI and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi took part.

Farmer leader PR Pandian participated in a protest in Chennai and said ryots were actively engaged in demonstrations across the state.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, extending solidarity to the bandh, visited the protest venue at Puducherry and said agriculture came under the state list of Constitution and the union government should have consulted states before rushing with the laws. "The Centre must unconditionally withdraw the three laws immediately," he said.

The ruling TRS, opposition parties including the Congress and various unions on Tuesday held protests across Telangana as part of the 'Bharat Bandh.' The TRS decided to actively participate in the protests in the state to ensure it was a success.

State Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar and TRS leader in Lok Sabha Nama Nageswara Rao attended a sit-in protest at Khammam. State women and child welfare minister Satyavati Rathod and Endowments Minister A Indrakaran Reddy participated in protests at Mahabubabad and Nirmal towns respectively.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka attended a 'rasta roko' at Shamirpet here along with other party leaders. Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) leader M Kodandaram, CPI state secretary Chada Venkata Reddy, his CPI (M) counterpart Tammineni Veerabhadram and activists of Left parties and Left-affiliated trade and other unions held a protest at Kothi in the city.

Left activists took out demonstrations at various places in the state in support of the shutdown.

The TRS, Congress and Left parties planned various events during the day as part of the strike.

The Bharat bandh call given by farmers organisations evoked a mixed reaction in Rajasthan where mandis remained closed but several shops were open as usual on Tuesday morning.

The bandh is supported by the ruling Congress party in the state.

Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas along with his supporters visited Civil Lines, Sodala, MI Road and other areas on a tractor and other vehicles in support of the bandh.

On the other hand, several shops in markets in Jaipur opened as usual.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made and senior officials conducted visits on the field.

Railway tracks, highways and roads across Bihar were teeming with supporters of the 'Bharat Bandh', which affected normal life in the state with the opposition parties extending support to the farmer protest.

Police were deployed in large numbers across the state to ensure that the movement of essential goods and services remained unhindered.

RJD supporters, and workers of Pappu Yadav's Jan Adhikar Party fanned out to various parts of Patna, forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters and deflating tyres of vehicles plying on the roads.

In Jehanabad, the movement of Patna-Palamu Express was obstructed for a few minutes until the bandh supporters, squatting on the tracks, were chased away by the police.

Burning tyres were placed on National Highway 110 and 83, resulting in the disruption of traffic, leading to long queues of vehicles.

In Nawada, cadres of the Congress, the CPI and CPI(ML) hit the streets, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanding the withdrawal of the agriculture laws terming these as "anti-farmer".

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Khagaria district.

The state police headquarters said instructions had been issued to all district police chiefs late on Monday to firmly crackdown on any attempts to disrupt essential services and delivery of essential items.