Alok Mishra
Patna: The dawn to dusk Bihar bandh call given by the CPI (ML) seeking judicial inquiry into the alleged political patronage extended to Intermediate Exam toppers scam accused could not impact much the normal activities of the people in major parts of the state. Though at Patna, majority of autos remained off the roads, several three-wheelers were seen plying on Patna Junction-Patliputra, Gandhi Maidan-Bailey Road and Patna Junction-Gandhi Maidan route on Monday.
Functioning in most of the offices was usual as attendance was normal though some of the employees had problems in reaching their offices in the morning. Some of the students including girls were seen waiting under scorching Sun to get a mode of transport in the afternoon. Most of the shops particularly on Frazer Road Crossing remained open.
Altogether 400 bandh supporters were arrested from Gandhi Maidan, Kotwali and Jakkanpur police stations area in the state capital. Some of the supporters were arrested by the Jakkanpur police when they blocked the New By Pass Road near Mithapur Bus Stand on Monday morning. They were taken and kept on the police station premises till the time of the reporting.
A large number of CPI (ML) supporters assembled near Patna Gandhi Maidan and marched towards Frazer Road Crossing. The activists were carrying placards and raising slogans “Bihar ko sharmshar karne wala toppers ghotala kyon, Nitish Kumar sharm karo,” “ Chatro ke bhavishya ke sath khilwar kyon, Nitish Kumar jawab do,” and “Bihar ki siksha chaupat karne wale Nitish Kumar sharm karo.”
As the bandh supporters reached Frazer Road Crossing, cops stopped them from proceeding to any direction as per the directive of the Patna High Court. All the activists were then taken to Kotwali police station.
A CPI (ML) leader Murtaza Ali said that their demands mainly included confiscation of property of education mafia and those giving patronage to them, withdrawal of vita-rahit education system, take over of vita-rahit schools and filling of vacant posts of teachers in schools, implementation of recommendations of Muchkund Dubey Commission, common school system across the state, revision of results of Matric and Intermediate examinations, withdrawal of curtailment of scholarship of dalit students and withdrawal of denial of promotion to SC/ST in government jobs.
A group of CPI (ML) activists blocked the road-rail route for sometime at Guraru in Gaya while in Jehanabad, the bandh supporters stopped Patna-Ranchi Express for sometime.
At Siwan, the bandh supporters came out in large number and stopped movement of vehicles at JP Chowk, Babuniya Mor and Gopalganj Mor, causing problems to the people. Later in the day, life became normal. “These are only political stunts of Left parties and the state government never cares for it,” remarked a shopkeeper at Babuniya Mor. The district administration had made elaborate arrangements to foil any untoward incident in the town area.