Mixed response to Maharashtra bandh over Lakhimpur Kheri violence

Shiv Sena workers blocked national and state highways at Kolhapur and Solapur in the morning following which some were detained by the police administration

The Maharashtra bandh (shutdown) call by the state’s three ruling parties on Monday has evoked mixed response so far with shops and establishments in many districts remaining shut and the local bus services operated by urban bodies remaining unavailable; though local train services in Mumbai Metropolitan Region are running uninterrupted

Local transport run by local municipal bodies were off the roads in most of the districts in Maharashtra following the shutdown call (HT Photo)

The Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress have jointly called for the shutdown to protest against the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh ten days ago. Many trader associations in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Nashik have announced their support to the bandh and retailers organisations such as the Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association in Mumbai, Federation of Trade Association of Pune have also extended their support to the shutdown.

State transport services were uninterrupted in the morning, though there were fewer passengers on board, an official said. “There is no official order given by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, but the decision will be taken by local district collectors if the operations are disrupted on roads,” said an official from the corporation. The city transport buses, however, in most of the cities are shut as the employees union in these bodies have supported the bandh

Some of the auto and taxi unions too have kept their services shut in many leading cities including Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan Dombivali in MMR. Shiv Sena workers blocked national and state highways at Kolhapur and Solapur in the morning following which some were detained by the police administration.

The local train service which caters to the office goers in MMR was operational in the morning.

“This is not a bandh called by the government, but by the ruling parties under Maha Vikas Aghadi (the ruling coalition). Whether to operate railway or BEST buses has to be decided by their administrations. We expect the people to participate in this on their own as it is in support of farmers and against the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre,” NCP leader and state minister Nawab Malik said on Sunday.

Malik said essential services have been exempted from the shutdown that will last till 4pm. “We appeal to all workers to not create any issues for essential services such as hospitals, ambulance, medical stores and milk supply during the bandh,” he said.

The BJP and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have opposed the bandh. “We are not justifying the atrocities against the farmers, but our only question is why Shiv Sena and NCP parliamentarians did not oppose the farm bills when they were being passed. Police are asking shops and establishments to keep shut and this is the misuse of power by the ruling alliance,” said MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande.