It was not spontaneous that some people remained indoors in this city on Friday due to the 12-hour Hartal call given by the ruling BJD across the State. Rather, cursing the supporters of the Hartal, some people preferred not to venture outside to avoid unnecessary troubles. BJD workers led by their leaders, including MlAs and the Mayor, picketed at the bus-stand, railway station and Central Government offices in protest against what they called “repeated step-motherly” attitude of the Centre towards the State.
But a section of intellectuals here wondered as to whether the ruling party in the State has been able to provide good governance or the Hartal against the Centre was simply eyewash.
The biggest bus terminus at Badambadi here wore a deserted look as no Government or private bus left the stand or arrived here from any destination. In a normal day, a least 1,200 buses either originate or ply through the terminus ferrying hundreds of passengers. While the city buses were off the roads, a few auto-rickshaws braving the Hartal call carried passengers and did a brisk business. The railway station saw hundreds of passengers stranded since morning. The BJD workers picketed on rail tracks forcing the trains to come to grinding halt. The party workers also picketed in front of the Central Government offices raising slogans against the UPA Government at the Centre.
However, people did not join the Hartal spontaneously as claimed by the BJD leaders. The offices, banks and other commercial establishments had normal attendance while the schools and colleges functioned as usual.
Similarly, the courts in city had normal business as people in general did not buy the logic behind the ruling party’s protest against the Centre.
“It was nothing but eyewash by the ruling party to camouflage its failure to provide good governance in the State,” said Prakash Panda, an eatery owner in Malgodown here, the biggest wholesale trading centre of the State.