A day ahead of the Jharkhand bandh called by the Opposition parties the Government on Wednesday made it clear that it will not sit silent and let bandh enforcers run amok across the State. DGP DK Pandey, Home Secretary SKG Rahate and other senior officials jointly held a press conference here on Wednesday warning bandh supporters of dire consequences if they come out on the roads to enforce bandh.
The top officials said that any attempt to disrupt normal life would be strictly dealt with by the administration. If peace-loving people's lives are disturbed, their businesses are hindered by bandh supporters or any destructive steps are taken then strict action will be taken against them, said the officers.
Principal Secretary, Home, Prisons and Disaster Management department SKG Rahate appealed to people not to be afraid of bandh and continue with their normal life and work. He said that the government has made adequate arrangements for security.
DGP DK Pandey said that protests should be done in a peaceful manner. If protests are done with arms then police will deal with it with an iron hand. He said that if any public or private property is destructed, then compensation would be taken from political parties that have called the bandh.
Rahate said that the government has made elaborate arrangements for security during July 5 bandh. More than 5000 police personnel and officials have been deputed across the State. Additionally, two companies of Rapid Action Force, six companies of RAP and 3,100 home gaurds alongwith Tear Gas and Riot Control Units.
The DGP said that extra forces have been deployed at sensitive places, where CCTV cameras have been installed and videography will be done. To keep a strict watch over motorcycle-borne bandh supporters, special QRT motorcycle squads of police have been deputed. Officials have been asked to be ready with all PCR vehicles, mobile vans, QRT teams, mike sets, video cameras, tear gas gun, riot control and other equipments in police stations, said Pandey.
Meanwhile, the East Singhbhum district administration has deployed about 4000 police force across the district to tackle any untoward incident during the bandh along with magistrates. A flag march with 300 police personnel was also carried out on Wednesday across the city for more than two hours.
East Singhbhum senior superintendent of police (SSP) Anoop Birthray said that the security has been beefed up across the city. The police administration is going to deal strictly with anti-social elements who target to vandalize public as well as private property in the name of bandh. FIRs will be lodged against the culprits and the damages would be collected from the political parties who have called the bandh. Schools and educational institutions will remain open tomorrow but parents will need to pick and drop their wards to school as public transportation will stay off the roads. Private English medium and government schools will remain open but school buses will stay off road due to the bandh. Meanwhile, pulling up the parties in Opposition especially the JMM, the BJP termed the bandh call given by them Govt bracesfor Thursday against development of the State. The bandh is called by the Opposition against amendments done into the land Acquisition Act, 2013.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday State BJP spokesperson JB Tubid said the parties supporting the Statewide shut down have lost their support base. "This is sheer act of frustration since the Opposition has lost all the grounds and support base in Jharkhand and is fighting for its existence. Now they through the bandh call are up to stall the progress of the State," said Tubid expressing hope that people of the State would reject the call.
He further added that the parties together could not make the people of the State understand why the bandh call is given. "They are unable to explain why are they opposing the amendments done into the land acquisition act done through the Bill and why this bandh has been called forIJ In fact, this has exposed their anti-development face which the people of the State want," he stated.
The party has already termed the bandh unconstitutional and immoral and the act meant only to trouble the people. "They just want to put people into hardship through the bandh. The Opposition mainly the JMM bunks from debating the issue and many like this in the Assembly but on the other come down to streets to mislead the people. This kind of double standards are exposed fully in the eyes of the people," said Tubid.
The JVM, on the other, labeled the amendments done against the spirit of the Constitution. "large part of land in Jharkhand is projected under the Schedule 5 of the Constitution. Besides, provisions of the CNT and SPT Acts related to this have been placed under Article-9 and protected. But the deeds of the Government through the amendment Bill is blatant misuse of the Constitution," said JVM general secretary Bandhu Tirkey.
Congress in the evening organised a torch rally. Party leader Alok Dubey criticised the Government and its machinery for crushing the popular bandh call given against the land act.