PATNA: Bharat bandh called by farmers and supported by the opposition parties drew a mixed response in Bihar on Tuesday. While some districts witnessed heavy protests, road blockades and shutting of commercial places, at other places the bandh passed off without much impact.
Highways remained paralyzed on NH-28 and NH-31 in Begusarai for over four hours and agitators also blocked traffic near the railway station and other landmarks by the Left parties and RJD workers. Second-year degree examination of LN Mithila University also had to be postponed because of the bandh.
Samastipur district witnessed a significant impact of the bandh with the opposition parties blocking roads and most shops remaining closed. RJD MLA Akhtarul Islam Shaheen and CPI-ML leader Surendra Prasad Singh led protests at two locations.
West Champaran witnessed a mixed response with shops in Bettiah, Narakatiaganj, Ramnagar and Bagaha remaining partially shut. Protest marches were taken out by RJD, Congress and CPI-ML. Traffic on NH-727 near Bettiah was disrupted and state highways also witnessed blockades.
In Chhapra, first time CPM MLA from Manjhi, Satyendra Yadav, RJD MLA from Ekma Shrikant Yadav and Marhaura MLA Jitendra Rai were seen actively leading the protest. Agitators disrupted traffic at Brahampur on NH-19 causing problems for passengers coming from Siwan and Uttar Pradesh.
Bandh supporters in Bhagalpur led peaceful demonstrations and a majority of offices and other establishments functioned normally. In Madhubani district, public transport was largely disrupted on Tuesday. Shops and businesses establishments, however, remained open.
In Ara, CPI (ML) leaders and workers led by Agiyaon MLA Manoj Manzil blocked the Ara-Patna main road ( NH -30). They also blocked Ara-Sasaram main road, Ara-Arwal road at Sahar among others.
In Gaya, Mahagathbandhan workers took out a procession from Rai Kashinath Mor to Tower chowk. JAP national spokesman Rajiv Kumar Kanhaiya said, “Our party will launch an agitation on December 23 from Champaran”. On the other hand, RJD activists offered roses to shop owners.
In Sitamarhi, vehicles were off the road till afternoon causing hardship to commuters. Farmers and political party workers blocked the busy Mehsaul and Kargil bypass Chowks.
In Nawada, Congress worker Navin Paswan carried a 35 kg plough on his shoulder as a mark of protest. He was accompanied by Hisua MLA Nitu Singh and district president Mantan Singh.
The bandh had little impact in East Champaran district.
With Inputs from Rajiv Kumar (Begusarai), SK Jain (Samastipur), Tirthraj Kushwaha (West Champaran), HK Verma (Saran), Kumar Rajesh (Bhagalpur), CS Jha Azad (Madhubani), Praveen (Ara), Deo Narayan Saha (Madhepura), Alok Kumar (Gaya), Shyam Kishore Singh (Sitamarhi), SB Sinha (Nawada) and Chandra Bhushan Pandey (Motihari)