The nationwide bandh call given by dalit organisations disrupted road transport and business in parts of western Odisha districts while coastal and southern districts of the state remained unaffected. Unlike in some states, the bandh in Odisha was entirely peaceful.
At the state capital, a few dalit organisations staged protest rallies against the Supreme Court verdict on the atrocity act and condemned the BJP led government at the centre.
The dalits alleged that the BJP and RSS were anti-SC/ST. The activists blocked the NH No 5 for a brief. Government offices, businesses and vehicular traffic in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and other coastal district remained normal.
Reports from western Odisha districts like Sundergarh, Bolangir, Kalahandi however said that the impact of the bandh had hit businesses, government offices and transport services. A report from Bolangir said normal life was disrupted as vehicles remained off road, shops closed.
“In other occasions bandh affects are limited to urban area but today’s bandh is different as it has left its mark on almost all the areas of the district even the it has able to bring the shutter down in semi urban and rural area ” said a SC activist.
Many block level offices remained closed, he claimed. Earlier in the day supporter of bandh were seen picketing at various places beside obstructing road by burning tyre on road.
The Bharat Bandh call given by different organisations protesting the recent verdict by the honourable Supreme Court of India on the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocity Act, was successful in Sundergarh district.
Shops, business establishments, banks, offices and educational institutions downed their shutters, in apprehension of any untoward incident. However, the bandh remained peaceful and there was hardly any reported incident of law and order situation anywhere in the district.
Even in trouble prone areas like Bonai, Biramitrapur and Sudnergarh, the bandh was peaceful. “As bus services was stopped from Rourkela for that there was no public transport available else, the bandh was peaceful with no arrest. Office and other establishments remained open,” said SDPO Bonai, Sishu Ranjan Mohapatra.
The agitators, mostly supporters of JMM handed a memorandum to the tehasildar in support of the bandh and opposing the recent ruling. Rourkela also remained peaceful though protestors were seen in different places preventing from establishments to open.
The important Panposh Bridge remained closed for some time as protestors sat on the road, but traffic became normal in the after noon. MLA George Tirky said, “we honour the honourable Supreme Court but we are protesting against the recent verdict.”
Meanwhile, the even semester examinations of BPUT were cancelled this morning. RSP operations was normal. Sources in the PR department said, “attendance, production and productivity all remained normal as workers and executive reached much before or by any means, so everything remained normal.” In Kalahandi district road blockade disrupted transport services . Due to picketing government offices, business establishments, banks remained closed.