After Uttar Pradesh, it was Bihar’s turn to witness large-scale vandalism and disruption of rail and road traffic on Saturday. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supporters blocked roads and disrupted movement of trains at different places in the State during the “Bihar Bandh” call given by it against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register for Citizens (NRC). West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya were relatively peaceful.
Hundreds of RJD supporters — among whom children of not more than 10-15 years of age and some of the agitators in their underwear —could also be seen carrying bamboo sticks and party flags. The bandh supporters gathered at bus stands, railway tracks and other vantage points in all districts of the State since the crack of dawn, unfazed by the winter fog and chilly winds. They sat down on railway tracks and blocked bus terminuses at various places to enforce the day-long bandh.
In Patna, the protesters reached Dak Bungalow “chowraha” (intersection) and blocked traffic while raising anti-Government slogans. The supporters also pelted stones at Government buses, breaking glass windows.
The protesters smashed windshields of taxis and three-wheelers and damaged cycle-rickshaws that plied on the roads in defiance of the call for the shutdown in Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and outskirts of Patna. Schools, colleges and most Government offices remained closed as it was a Saturday.
Patna ADG HQ, Jitendra Kumar, said, “As per compiled information from 38 districts in connection with today’s ‘Bihar Bandh’ (called by RJD led alliance), there were 1,550 preventive arrests. 14 cases were registered in which 13 arrests were made.”
Tejashwi Yadav, leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly and heir apparent of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, marched in a large procession from the party office in Bir Chand Patel Marg to Dak Bungalow crossing. In Hajipur (Vaishali), Jehanabad, Brah and Darbhanga, the supporters blocked the national highway and the Mahatma Gandhi Setu road bridge over the Ganga which connects Patna to north Bihar. Movement of trains in Darbhanga and Kaimur were disrupted.
In Muzaffarpur, the largest north Bihar town, RJD and Congress leaders sat on highways, major road and railway crossings to enforce the bandh. Reports of the bandh disrupting normal business and vehicular traffic have been received from Munger, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Jehanabad and Nawada as well. In Arrah, bandh supporters clashed with the police for preventing them from forcing vehicles to stop and shops to close. Train services were affected after RJD activists squatted on railway tracks in Araria, Ara and East Champaran districts.
The other ‘mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) parties — the Congress, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), the Vikashil Insaan Party and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party — too extended their support to the bandh call.
In Chennai, scores of CPI-M activists tried to block trains at the railway station but were foiled by the police, as protests continued in parts of Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, CPI Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam and some party activists who staged a protest were detained. For his part, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said an inquiry will be conducted into the violence that rocked this coastal city during the anti-CAA protests, leaving two dead in police firing.
Down south in Chennai, outfits affiliated to the CPI(M) including the Democratic Youth Federation of India, and Students Federation of India attempted to block trains at the MGR Central Railway Station complex. As the protesters tried to move ahead to block trains, a scuffle ensued between them and the police personnel for a while. There was, however, no untoward incident. Protests were held at Kumbakonam and other parts of Tamil Nadu as well by various outfits including Islamic bodies.
Meanwhile, the situation in Assam and West Bengal was normal while mobile internet services were restored in Meghalaya. The ban on mobile internet and mass messaging services, imposed on December 12 in the northeastern state, was lifted
The curfew imposed in Sadar and Lumdiengjri police station limits in Shillong was relaxed for 16 hours from 5 am on Saturday and no untoward incident was reported in these areas in the past 24 hours, East Khasi Hills District Magistrate M W Nongbri said.
In Assam, protesters took out peaceful rallies against the CAA. The curfew imposed in Dibrugarh was relaxed for 16 hours since 6 am on Saturday as the law and order situation improved, they said.
In Madhya Pradesh, at least 35 people have been arrested in connection with Friday’s violent protests which left 20 police personnel injured.