The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) sponsored dawn- to- dusk Hartal hit normal life badly across the State as public transport, educational institutions, shops and petrol pumps remained shut.
Ironically, while the BJD observed the State-wide Hartal and forced the closure of the Central and State Government offices and offices of private and corporate sectors, BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik chose to attend the office at the State Secretariat. The BJD asserted that people's overwhelming participation was suo moto in the 12- hour Hartal which was "total". CM Naveen Patnaik said that the BJD had observed peaceful Hartal because of the continuous negligence of the Center towards Odisha.
The Hartal that evoked positive response and put life standstill passed off peacefully without any reports of untoward incidents. "There was no incident or violence reported during the Hartal," said Home Secretary UN Behera. However, he said that the traffic was affected and train services was hit for a brief period in the morning hours. But normalcy was restored in train services in the afternoon.
Though both the Central and the State Government offices, banks and ther financial institutions were opened, they were functioning with skeletal staff due to the picketing by the BJD workers and supporters outside.
Both private and State public sector OSRTC buses as well the city buses and transport vehicles remained off the roads and the train services were affected due to the demonstration by the Hartal enforcers.
However, he said that the vehicular traffic was affected and movement of train services was hit for a brief period in the morning hours. But normalcy was restored in train services in the afternoon, he said.
Though both the Central and the State Government offices, banks and ther financial institutions were opened, they were functioning with skeletal staff due to the picketing by the BJD workers and supporters outside.
Both private and State public sector OSRTC buses as well the city buses and transport vehicles remained off the roads and the train services were affected due to the demonstration by the Hartal enforcers.
The supporters forced the trains to remain stranded in various railway stations, including in Bhubaneswar in the first three hours much to the difficulties of the passengers. Besides, they also staged demonstrations before the bus stands and blocked the roads and National Highways in various places, not allowing the vehicles to run. In Bhubaneswar, the Hartal supporters of the BJD were seen moving in a motor bike rally amidst anti-Center slogans. Even some of the Hartal enforcers vandalised a few four wheelers and motor bikes in a number of places in the capital city. The work in the railway coach repairing and maintenance factory at Manchewar on the city outskrits was also affected owing to the demonstration by the BJD workers. Over 100 demonstrating BJD leaders and workers were arrested before the Accountant General Office and Reserve Bank of India regional office at Bhubaneswar for staging demonstrations violating the prohibitory orders and not allowing the employees to enter their offices. Elaborate security arrangements were made in Bhubaneswar and other places of the State to prevent any untoward incident during the Bandh. Only Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Agriculture Minister Debi Prasad Mishra came to their offices at the State Secretariat amid tight security while other Ministers were conspicuous by their absence. The State Secretariat recorded thin attendance. The Chief Minister reviewed the implementation solar power scheme in the morning and on drinking water supply problem in Brahmapur city and the progress of cement concrete roads in rural areas in the afternoon. The Chief Minister also had been to the Assembly premises in the morning to pay homage to Maharaja Krushna Chandara Gajapati Naryan Dev, the architect of Odisha State, by garlanding his statue on his birth anniversary. "Our 12- hour Hartal call evoked overwhelming support from the public. It is peaceful and a complete success," said Biju Yuva Janta Dal president and the Government Deputy Chief Whip Sanjaya Dasburma. "This reflects the fact that people of the State are against the continuous discrimination against Odisha by the Center in giving its just demands," said Dasburma, adding the anti-Center agitation would be intensified if there is no change of attitude. On the other hand, reacting to the Hartal call, senior Congress leader and leader of Opposition in the Assembly Bhupinder Singh dubbed the move as politically- oriented keeping in view 2014 general elections. Similarly, former BJP State president Suresh Pujari said that the Hartal has exposed the political drama being enacted by the BJD. He flayed both the Congress- led UPA Government at the Center and State Government led by Naveen Patnaik for the continued backwardness of Odisha.