29th November, 2008 – South Bengal bandh saga continues

The South Bengal bandh called by Jharkhand Party (Aditya) continues today. The reason apparently is the government negligence and apathy in the jungle villages across Midnapore West, Bankura and Purulia.

A Statesman report quoted Mr Kisku as saying “The tribal people have always been exploited by the LF. Whenever we raise our voice we are given different names like militia or Maoist. We don’t bother whatever they may say. We just want to let them know that the tribal communities won’t allow any more atrocity and exploitation.”

28th November, 2008 – South Bengal bandh

Imagine calling for a bandh in Maosit infested place and then talking peace. Bandh is the origin of all violence and peace cannot be sprouted from hartal or bandh. Once upon a time Gandhi used it against British and he used this tool successfully. But that was because the British were decent and mannered while Indians are not. British never harmed any Indian during the bandhs or other protests because they knew the protest was for freedom. What are the hartals and bandhs today for? Well, that was some lecture which is a waste. The matter of fact is that Aditya Kisku, the chief of Jharkhand Party (Aditya) declared a 48-hour bandh in three Maoist-infested districts of south Bengal today and tomorrow and then claiming he doesn’t want to choose the path of violence. The tribal cadres have already started blockades in several new locations since 21 November.

28th November, 2008 – Ulema in bandh mood

If everyone is in hartal mould, why cant we? This seems to be the dilemma that Ulema Council in Uttar Pradesh is in and therefore has called for a state wide 'bandh' today to protest harassment of youth of the community on the pretext of tackling terrorism.

Convener of the Council Maulana Amir Rasadi Madani said the bandh is to draw the attention of the people on the growing menace illegal arrests and harassment of innocent Muslim youth in the name of countering terrorism. But how can the bandh stop such harassment is a question that Madani has no answer to.

25th November, 2008 – Tamil Nadu bandh? Well almost

If India doesn’t interfere inside Sri Lanka, then Tamil Nadu will observe total bandh today to protest against the Indian Government’s inability to facilitate the declaration of a ceasefire in the island nation.

If Pakistan enters India in the same vigour for the same reason but for different community, there will be again a protest march.

Who is right and who is wrong. Well, read a resolution adopted by the participants from fringe parties which questioned the silence of the UPA Government on the ceasefire issue and urged it to act speedily for clinching a truce between the Tamil Tigers and the Lankan Army.

25th November, 2008 - Ranchi bandh called

BJP's district vice-president, Om Prakash Upadhayay's killers are at large and this becomes yet another reason for the party to call for a bandh. BJP said the party workers would hit the road to launch a campaign against the government highlighting the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

“Owners of all business establishments and heads of all educational institutions will be requested to suspend their programmes for the day. This apart, all sections of society will be urged to extend support to our bandh,” the BJP officials declared.

21st November, 2008 - Even a new bus terminal can stall a district

When a busy bus terminal shifts to a new and wider space, the biggest losers are the shops in and around the old terminal. But why should every one in that particular municipal limits suffer? Yes, it is very much possible in Kerala where traders and business houses in the municipal limits observed a day long hartal against the move to shift the entire bus fleet to the new bus terminal.

The Forum for People, taking up the bus passengers cause have also opposed the move to shift bus operation to the new terminal even as the private bus owners refused to operate covering both the bus stations citing traffic snarls along the narrow roads connecting the two.

19th November, 2008 – Unusual Bandh in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar

Humans are protesting against the god’s will. This can be summarized to a bandh call given by newly formed ‘mandir bachao samiti’ to protest against demolition of temples in Gandinagar

Ironically all the 80 temples demolished were illegal and encroached public or private land.

But rest assured, this bandh will not be the kind of bandh observed in other parts of the country especially on Kerala model. No body will even know there was a bandh today.

18th November, 2008 – Thrissur hit by hartal

Calling hartal during Sabarimala season is something that calls for strict condemnation but the very group advocating Hindu causes are doing exactly this.

A dawn-to-dusk hartal was observed in Thrissur to protest the killing of BJP worker. The hartal was called by the BJP, RSS and BMS. Shops remained closed; except for vehicles carrying Sabarimala pilgrims and some private vehicles plying, most KSRTC and private buses have kept off the roads.

13th November, 2008 - It's bandh time again

High Range Protection Committee(no dearth of committees in Kerala. Wonder if there is a count on it) has called for yet another bandh in the hilly town of Munnar to protest against the police baton charge on its workers. Imagine if there was a firing. It would have been an all India bandh. Thanks to police they didnt attempt to fire.

The High Range Protection Committee further accused the, Special Task Force for violating the assurance given by Chief Minister VS Achuthanadan and Cabinet Sub Committee; by issuing evacuation notices to small-scale traders and home stays.

3rd November, 2008 - Blasts, bandhs and chaos & AASU

It seems blasts results in more bandhs than casualties. After VHP bandh on 1st November against the unknown perpetrators of blasts, it is the chance of All Assam Students' Union (AASU) to call for another bandh today.

1st November, 2008 - Blasts, bandhs and chaos & VHP

The VHP made the best out of the blast as it has done what it knows the best. Today a bandh to protest against the serial blasts that claimed 77 lives and injured more than 400 people is observed. Now what gain will this bandh achieve is a question that only VHP can answer. It will neither give any relief to the injured and dead nor it will desist terrorists from doing another blast.