Bharat Bandh Live: Clashes, lathi-charge in Bihar; road, rail links hit in Odisha

The day-long Bharat Bandh evoked a mixed reaction in Jharkhand on Wednesday, as several public buses stayed off the roads and schools remained closed.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren has also cancelled his visit to Palamu on Wednesday due to the strike, an official said.

The state’s ruling alliance – Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal – have extended support to the bandh. The Left parties, too, have backed the strike.

In some parts of the state, workers of the alliance were seen taking to the streets in support of the bandh.

Schools remain closed in Ranchi and most parts of the state, while several long-route public buses were seen parked at bus stands, inconveniencing commuters.

“I had to go to Giridih today for urgent work. But buses are not plying. I had no prior information about this development,” said Vinod Rawani, as he awaited transportation at the Khadgarha bus stand.

Security has been bolstered at key locations to prevent any untoward incident, the official said.

The Madhya Pradesh home department has directed the collectors and superintendents of police (SPs) of all districts in the state to take necessary steps to maintain law and order situation during the day-long Bharat Bandh.

Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also extended support to Bharat Bandh.

In a circular issued on Tuesday night, the state home department directed the collectors and SPs of all districts besides police commissioners of Bhopal and Indore to maintain law and order situation in their respective jurisdictions during the Bharat Bandh.

Digvijaya Singh in a post on X on Wednesday morning said, “I support Bharat Bandh in protest against the Honourable Supreme Court’s decision regarding division of classes among the SC ST and appeal to everyone for cooperation.” The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister on Tuesday tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) have also extended support to the Bharat Bandh.

The Bharat Bandh partially affected rail and road communications in Odisha on Wednesday.

Government offices, banks, business establishments and educational institutions are functioning normally, police said.

The Home department in a note on Tuesday, “...advised officers and employees of various departments working in the state secretariat and heads of department building to reach office by 9.30 am.” Security has been beefed up in the state secretariat, heads of department building and other important places in the state.

The agitators detained trains at Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur while passenger buses did not operate on different routes. The protestors also staged demonstrations in different places and blocked several roads including national highways.

The agitators detained Visakha express at Bhubaneswar railway station for some time, they also blocked Sambalpur-Puri and Sambalpur-Rayagada trains at Khetrajpur station in Sambalpur. However, the train operation became normal after the police evacuated the agitators from the track.

Reports of road blockade were also received from Cuttack, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Malkangiri, Sundergarh, Keonjhar and other places.

Vehicular traffic was briefly disrupted in parts of Bihar on Wednesday, as protestors put up blockades in support of the Bharat Bandh called by some groups over community-based reservation.

In Jehanabad district, agitators clashed with security personnel when they tried to block movement of traffic on National Highway-83, police said.

“Five protestors were detained as they tried to disrupt traffic movement on NH-83 near Unta Chowk. They were later removed from the spot and normality was restored,” said Hulas Baitha, Sub-Inspector, Town police station.

In Madhepura and Muzaffarpur, too, protestors attempted to block movement of traffic at several places, but security forces promptly dispersed them, police said.

Meanwhile, recruitment exams were underway for the post of constables in Bihar Police, Bihar Special Armed Police and other units in several districts on Wednesday. The state government had earlier instructed police to ensure the smooth transportation of aspirants to the test centres.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other partners of the INDIA bloc have extended their support to the bandh.

Twenty-one organisations across the country have called for the Bharat Bandh against the Supreme Court's August 1 decision on the issue of SC-ST reservation. The organisations have opposed the verdict, contending that it will harm the basic principles of reservation.