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Bharat Bandh: APMCs in Navi Mumbai and Thane remain closed
Around 30 protestors from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were detained by the Mumbra police on Tuesday afternoon
The call for Bharat Bandh witnessed a mixed response in Thane, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai.
At Thane, the station area was put under heavy police bandobast to ensure there was no law-and-order problem. However, there was a tepid response to the bandh in the city.
Members of the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi party participated in the protest. They raised slogans and held posters in hand near the station premises. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) workers gathered outside the Thane district collector’s office and raised slogans in support of farmers on Tuesday morning.
Some youth had also gathered at the Majiwada circle in the evening around 3pm with posters to create awareness about the farm laws and why the farmers are protesting. “They are the reason we have food on our plate. So we cannot let them be treated indifferently. We want to create awareness among the younger generation and also show solidarity with the farmers,” said one of the protestors Deep Meher Singh, 24, who is a student.
Mumbra, however, wore a deserted look. Shopkeepers and autorickshaw drivers in Mumbra had joined the Bharat Bandh on Tuesday to show solidarity with the farmers protesting in Delhi against the three farm laws passed by the Centre.
“All autos were off the roads and shops remained closed till 5pm to express support with the farmers. We also had a protest outside the party office in Mumbra at noon,” said Shamim Khan from NCP.
Around 30 protestors from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were detained by the Mumbra police on Tuesday afternoon.
“As the crowd was growing, we had to ensure that peace is maintained. Hence we detained them, but they were released soon after,” said senior inspector Madhukar Kad from Mumbra police station.
The neighbouring areas of Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, Ambernath and Badlapur did not witness any major impact owing to Bharat Bandh in the morning. Although the autorickshaw unions, Konkan Vibhag Rickshaw Taxi Mahasangh in Kalyan and Lal Bauta Rickshaw Union in Dombivli decided to support the bandh, several autos were seen plying on the roads, ferrying commuters.
The shops also remained open.
However, by afternoon, Shiv Sena and left party workers thronged the streets of Kalyan and Vitthalwadi and asked shopkeepers to shut the shops.
The agricultural produce market committee (APMC) in Kalyan was closed completely.
At Kolsewadi, many of Congress’s Kalyan unit members were detained by the police, as they had decided to carry out a bike rally in the city.
“We wanted to reach out to more people and had planned to do a rally with 150 bikes. However, the police did not allow us and detained around 40-50 of our party workers. We did not have any intention to commit violence,” said Sachin Pote, president, of the unit.
At Navi Mumbai, too, the protest call witnessed a mixed response throughout the day.
Panvel and Ulwe came to a complete standstill and the five wholesale APMC markets were closed for the entire day, as mathadis and traders supported the farmers’ agitation. Several rallies and protests were organised by social organisations and political parties. However, there was no violence reported.
“The farm bills will sound a death knell for the farmers as well as for the mathadis and the APMC traders. We stand strongly with the farmers of the country and hence, all the APMC markets in the state are closed today,” said legislative Council member and mathadi leader Shashikant Shinde.
The Congress and the NCP staged protests at Shivaji Chowk in Vashi, holding placards and raising slogans against the Narendra Modi government.
“The farm laws have been brought by the Modi government to only benefit some top industrialists. This is going to prove very costly for them as the entire country has united against it,” said Navi Mumbai Congress president Anil Kaushik.
Navi Mumbai Gurudwaras and various transport associations undertook a car and bike rally from Panvel Gurudwara Sahib to Mumbai. They had to stop at Mankhurd, after vehicles were halted several times. In the evening, a human chain was formed from Vashi toll Naka to Panvel to register the protest.
Panvel witnessed a near complete shutdown, with the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) along with Congress and other political parties coming out in support of the bandh.
Political workers staged a protest at Shivaji Chowk in Panvel.
“The way the farmers are being treated by the Modi government reminds us of the British rule. This is dictatorship and Modi and [Union home minister Amit] Shah are agents of industrialists. The bandh today has been very successful in sending them a strong message,” said Congress leader Mahendra Gharat.
PWP leader Pritam Mhatre said that the party had organised a march last week too against the laws. “Today the unity among the MVA (Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi) and the traders and business communities shows what the people believe. The farm laws have to be withdrawn by the government,” said Mhatre.
Workers’ activist Ulka Mahajan said, “Those who do not follow the constitution or care for the farmers will be thrown out of power by the people.”
According to Shiv Sena leader Baban Patil, the party had not organised a rally in the city. “People have spontaneously supported the bandh. The central government should stop being adamant,” he said.
