Encouraged by the successful bandh in Khunti called by tribal organisations on Sunday, the Opposition parties claimed that the Monday shutdown called by them against the police firing in Badkagaon will be historic as their movement has gradually turned into an ‘ulgulaan’ or uprising.
“The way Opposition parties, including the left parties, have mobilised against the Raghubar Government; it appears to be a second 'ulgulaan' which will root out this the ruling NDA from the State," said former union minister and Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay. The torchlight march taken out in Ranchi on Sunday was really historical where more than 2,000 representatives from different political parties took part in it and vowed to make Monday’s bandh successful, he added.
Sahay further added that the Raghubar government was digging its own grave. "The public sentiment is strongly against this government as the tribals are living in fear of losing their land," he said. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, which had been keeping a safe distance so far from the other Opposition parties on the issues, also joined the bandwagon.
"We have extended moral support to the bandh called by the Opposition on Monday and appeal people to keep their shops and establishments closed of their own. We demand dismissal of Raghubar Das Government on this issue," said JMM Spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya. Other opposition parties have also issued instructions to their district units to make all out efforts to ensure that the bandh has maximum impact on the Government.
The Jharkhand Police on the other hand, has alerted district administrations across the state and additional security forces have been provided to them to avoid any unforeseen situations during the bandh on Monday. "The district police have been alerted and have been asked to be vigilant during the day to avoid any untoward situation during the bandh," said MS Bhatia. Ranchi SSP Kuldeep Dwivedi also claimed that district police was fully prepared to deal with the bandh.
Meanwhile, amid preparations made by the State Government to foil the bandh called by opposition parties, most of the schools including DPS and JVM Syamali, Sarla Birala, Guru Nanak and Bridgeford schools in Ranchi will remain closed on Monday.
Opposition parties, including left parties have called a bandh on Monday against police firing which took place at Badkagaon in Hazaribagh on October 1, killing four persons and injuring several others, when the ongoing protest of Barkagaon residents in Hazaribagh demanding to seize work at NTPC coal mining project turned ugly and security forces resorted to firing on an irate mob trying to abduct senior officials.
Masal Julus -2 : JVM, CPI-M, Congress and others Opposition parties take out a 'Masal Julus' on the eve of Jharkhand Bandh at MG marg in Ranchi on Sunday. Pix by Vinay Murmu