Hundreds held in 2nd anti-land Act change bandh

Ranchi: The second bandh, in a span of about a week, on Friday called by tribal outfits to protest against the amendments to the CNT and SPT Acts evoked a mixed response in the state. No untoward incident was reported during the bandh in contrast to the November 25 shutdown, which witnessed unleashing of vandalism on the streets.
The bandh, called by 52 tribal outfits, saw over 3,500 protesters being arrested from all over the state, including 2,000 from Latehar and Lohardaga district.The Ranchi-Lohardaga train was stalled for about an hour at Tangarbasli by bandh supporters. Transportation of coal and bauxite was also hampered.
IG and police spokesperson M S Bhatia said strategic deployment of police was planned keeping in mind the untoward incidents of the bandh last month. “Apart from 4,000 policemen of the district armed police, 3,700 home guards, two companies of RAF and one company of Rapid Action Police of the state government were pressed into service,” he said.
Traffic was thin in Ranchi and shops chose to down shutters. Police was deployed at the hostel gates of tribal students and other colleges to prevent bandh supporters from joining the strike. The administration stepped up surveillance by using CCTV cameras and drones. Police displayed banners warning trouble-makers that FIRs would be lodged against them on the basis of CCTV footage in the event of anyone found flouting prohibitory orders.
Various political parties, including NDA ally Ajsu Party, extended moral support to the bandh. Former Union minister and Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay claimed the strike was successful because of the spontaneous support of tribals. “The bandh went off peacefully because the tribals want the Raghubar Das government to withdraw the amendments to the CNT and SPT Acts on its own,” he said, adding that if the government fails to understand the anger simmering in the hearts of hundreds of tribals, they may take the law in their own hands.
Tribal-dominated Gumla district witnessed a total shutdown with all shops closed and business activities coming to a standstill. Mining operations were stalled as excavation and transportation were affected. Trucks transporting bauxite from Upper Pat and Serengdag mine regions in Netarhat were off the road.
Dumka, the scene of violence during the last bandh, was largely peaceful. Deputy commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha and SP Prabhat Kumar patrolled rural pockets of the district. There was no movement of vehicles in Dumka.
In Kolhan division, the bandh evoked mixed response. Ghatshila subdivision encompassing Chakulia, Baharagora, Dhalbhumgarh in the East Singhbhum and Chandil and Kharswan in adjoining Seraikela Kharswan district and Sonua, Manoharpur, Tonto, among other blocks, in West Singhbhum responded to the bandh. Buses did not ply and shops remained closed for the greater part of the day. “Tribals voluntarily supported the bandh with vendors keeping their shops closed and mini buses going off the road,” said Durgacharan Majhi, a functionary of the Majhi Pargana Mahal, that supported the bandh.
Likewise, Sudarshan Bhumij of Bhumij Munda Mahasabha, said although the urbanites did not support the bandh, traders and businessmen in areas like Kuchai, Kharswan, Chandil and Manoharpur kept their shops closed. “There was no damage to public property but a few bandh activists were taken into preventive detention,” said deputy SP, Musabani, Ajit Vimal.
The bandh was, however, ineffective in the coal belt of Dhanbad. Public transport plyed normally and no incident of violence was reported. DSP law and order, D N Banka, told TOI not a single arrest was made in the district as activists did not try to use force to block roads or shut down shops. “In Bokaro, 51 agitators were arrested and later released. The situation in the district remained peaceful,” said Y S Ramesh, SP.
(With inputs from Jamshedpur, Gumla, Dhanbad and Dumka)