Odisha bandh: Public transport hit, shops shut as INDIA bloc protests SIR

Normal life was affected across several districts of Odisha on Thursday as INDIA bloc parties observed a 12-hour bandh from 6 am to 6 pm to protest the new mining law, alleged errors in school textbooks and alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Supporters of the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Samajwadi Party, RJD and JMM staged demonstrations and blocked roads at several places, including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Bargarh, Bhadrak, Balasore, Rayagada, Kendrapara, Bolangir, Berhampur and Sambalpur.

Protesters also stopped buses, trucks, taxis and autorickshaws at several locations and burnt tyres, disrupting traffic movement. Shops, business establishments, petrol pumps and several educational institutions remained closed in parts of the state, while public transport services were hit. Many commuters were left waiting at bus stops, with office-goers, students and others facing difficulties in reaching their destinations.

Auto-rickshaw services were also affected in some areas. In Bhubaneswar, the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) said Ama Bus services were intended to operate, though services on some routes could be affected depending on the situation. Essential services, including hospitals, ambulances, fire services, pharmacies and milk supply, were kept outside the purview of the bandh, a Congress leader said. The INDIA bloc has demanded the repeal of the MMDR (Amendment) Act, the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged "vote chori" and the resignation of state minister Nityananda Gond over alleged errors in school textbooks."

We demand a complete rollback of the MMDR (Amendment) Act, resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for 'vote chori' and state minister Nityananda Gond for distributing books with erroneous information among school students," senior Congress leader Suresh Routray said in Bhubaneswar. Police deployed adequate security across the state to prevent any untoward incidents and said efforts were being made to ensure that the demonstrations remained peaceful and within the ambit of constitutional rights. Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner S Dev Dutta Singh said, "Discussions have been held with various stakeholders so that protesters conduct their demonstrations within the ambit of their constitutional rights."- Ends