The dawn to dusk bandh called by BJP in west Uttar Pradesh to protest arrest of its legislators evoked a good response as most of the markets in 15 districts remained closed on Sunday.
"The response of the people has proved that they are with BJP. There was no forcible closure. The traders closed their shops on a call given by BJP leaders. The bandh was complete," BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said here on Sunday.
The bandh call was given to protest partisan attitude of state government towards BJP in connection with the Muzaffarnagar riots. Two of the party legislators have been arrested and case has been lodged against two others.
Reports say that almost all the markets in Ghaziabad, Meerut, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Bullandhshar, Baghpat, Shamli, Sambhal and other neighbouring districts remained closed and the vehicular traffic was thin.
Police spokesman said that no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state. "The traders were given full protection. Orders were issued to arrest BJP workers if they try to forcibly close shops," police spokesman said here.
Police, however, say that a mild force was used to disperse the protesting BJP workers near Ghantaghar in Saharanpur city while they were trying to force the shop keepers to close their establishments.
In Muzaffarnagar the bandh was complete. Despite no BJP leader came out on streets the traders themselves closed their shops. BJP president laxmi Kant Bajpai led party campaign in Meerut while party’s general secretary Pankaj Singh led party leaders in enforcing bandh.
Two BJP MlAs Suresh Rana and Sangeet Singh Som were arrested on the charges of giving inflammatory speech in Muzaffarnagar on September 7. Suresh Rana was arrested in the state capital after the end of assembly session on Friday, Sangeet Singh Som surrendered in Muzaffarnagar.Altogether 3 MlAs, two of BJP and one of BSP-- Noor Salim Rana have been arrested so far.
The arrested MlAs have been shifted out of west UP apprehending violence. Suresh Rana has been sent to Banda jail, Sangeet Singh Som to Orai jail and Noor Salim to Mirzapur jail.
BJP spokesman Pathak said that the government has acted in a biased manner by arresting the MlAs for supporting the majority community.'' Government should have arrested UP Minister MdAzam Khan for his alleged role in the riots. The sting operation has also proved his involvement," he said.