Bharat Bandh was partially successful in Rourkela & its adjacent areas

Rajesh Mohapatra,Odishabarta

ROURKELA: Tuesday Bharat Bandh call was given by all Farmers’ union who are protesting near the border of Haryana-Delhi regarding three new farmers’ bill which have been passed in the parliament. Farmer protest has been in news since more than a week when all many farmers from Punjab has started to reach Delhi to protest these bills and there have been five round of meeting between the Agriculture Minister of Govt. of India and representatives of more than 40 farmers union in Punjab. Today this bandh call was observed across the country but in Odisha BJD has not supported these farmers’ protest and bandh. As bandh call was there for today in Rourkela and its periphery area, bandh call was partially successful. Almost all Govt. offices and private big offices were closed also the bus communication. Many people apprehended that since many political parties have been supporting this bandh, there might be some unwanted situations; hence, they preferred to remain at home. But local transportation in Rourkela was all smooth and many business establishments like trading house and few shops in Main Road areas, Bondhamunda, Civil Township, Jagda, Lathikata, Vedvyas and Birmitrapur were seen remained open for the consumers. Hospital services were as usual. An operation in Rourkela Steel Plant was normal. But petrol pumps had remained closed as precautionary measures. This protest was mostly for the day time hence, all petrol pumps and business establishments have opened their shops in the evening and many Insurance companies have also opened their offices after 4pm. Local administration have deployed adequate police protection in all sensitive areas and in many important chawks. Congress protesters had staged protest near Bisra chawk and in many other areas. In Bisra chawk many congress protesters had heated arguments with police personnel and the IIC of Plant site Police Station. But somehow situations were under control and no untoward situation had occurred during the bandh. As per the news Home Minster, Amit Shah has invited leaders of farmers union for a meeting which will be held at 7pm and famers unions have given their consent to participate. The sixth round of meeting is scheduled to be held tomorrow in Delhi. Govt. of India is trying hard to convince the farmers protesting these bills; hence, time will say how this will resolve otherwise this protest may take a large shape.