Roads were deserted, schools were closed and shops downed shutters across many parts of Chhattisgarh on Thursday as the opposition Congress began a daylong shutdown to protest the massacre of 76 troopers by Maoist guerrillas.
Roads wore a deserted look not only in the state capital Raipur but also in the second most populous town in the state, Bilaspur. In Durg and the industrial towns of Korba, Raigarh and Bhilai too, vehicles remained off roads.
According to reports coming in from the State’s Maoist stronghold of Bastar region, the shutdown hit life in the five districts — Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Bastar and Kanker.
Schools remained closed across the state while shopkeepers downed their shutters as a mark of protest.
Chhattisgarh State Congress president Dhanendra Sahu told reporters here that the strike was called to protest the flawed policies of the State’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) that resulted in the killing of 76 troopers on Tuesday in the biggest ever attack carried by Maoists.
Hundreds of Maoists trapped over 80 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers on a hilly stretch, some 450 km south of Raipur, in Dantewada district and went on a killing spree using pressure bombs and automatic weapons.
About a dozen industrial bodies, including the Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have extended support to the shutdown to express their solidarity with the deceased security personnel.
Showing posts with label shutdown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shutdown. Show all posts
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Kashmir teenager’s body buried amid slogans
Amidst a complete shutdown and chanting of slogans, the body of a 16-year-old boy, shot dead allegedly by security forces, was buried here on Saturday.
The body of Zahid Farooq Shah was buried in a graveyard at Brain-Nishat, 12 km from here, a day after he was shot dead allegedly by security forces in the outskirts of the city.
The killing sparked instant protests with angry locals alleging the teenager was killed by securitymen travelling in a vehicle without any provocation.
Protesters shouted slogans denouncing the government as the body, which was handed over to the bereaved family after the post mortem on Saturday morning, was buried amidst a shutdown in the entire area.
Condemning the killing, the ruling National Conference and the separatists demanded exemplary punishment for the guilty.
Addressing an emergency meeting of party workers here, NC provincial president A.M. Dar demanded hanging of those involved in the “cold-blooded murder.”
He, however, asked people to exercise restraint as the government had already ordered a probe into the killing.
In a statement, the hardline faction of the Hurriyat, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said, “Innocents are being killed on one pretext or other daily. Force is being used against peaceful demonstrators and youths are being implicated in false cases.”
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
After suicides, Bandh hits Normal lifes in Telangana
Normal life in Hyderabad and nine other districts of the Telangana region came to a halt as a 48-hour shutdown called by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of students began on Wednesday to protest the delay in the formation of a separate state out of Andhra Pradesh. Since Monday, two students have killed themselves over the issue.
State-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC) suspended its bus services while shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed.
All political parties have supported the shutdown. The JAC called for a strike after two students, depressed over the delay in carving out a separate Telangana state, committed suicide.
K. Venugopal Reddy, a final year student of MCA, set himself ablaze at Osmania University here late Monday. Suvarnamma, a first year BSc student in Mahabubnagar district, set herself ablaze late Tuesday.
Tension prevailed at Osmania University campus for the second consecutive day as students continued their protest with the body of Reddy. The JAC leaders, who sat in front of the Arts College building with the body through Tuesday night, said they would not allow it to be moved unless all MPs and state legislators from the region resign in support of the Telangana statehood demand.
In an attempt to shift the body, police brought additional forces to the campus Wednesday morning.
The self-immolations triggered angry protests by students across Telangana. The students’ JAC called for a two-day shutdown Wednesday and Thursday.
The politicians’ JAC, which comprises all parties including the ruling Congress, has supported the shutdown for Wednesday.
The JAC also announced that all elected representatives would submit their resignations from Wednesday and those who have already done so would press for their acceptance.
Five legislators of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and one of Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) began a sit—in at the house of assembly speaker Kirankumar Reddy Tuesday night, urging him to immediately accept their resignations. The speaker, however, sought two to three days to take a decision.
With the legislators continuing their protest, the police took them into custody. They were later released.
All 39 legislators of main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have also decided to press the speaker to accept their resignations.
State-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC) suspended its bus services while shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed.
All political parties have supported the shutdown. The JAC called for a strike after two students, depressed over the delay in carving out a separate Telangana state, committed suicide.
K. Venugopal Reddy, a final year student of MCA, set himself ablaze at Osmania University here late Monday. Suvarnamma, a first year BSc student in Mahabubnagar district, set herself ablaze late Tuesday.
Tension prevailed at Osmania University campus for the second consecutive day as students continued their protest with the body of Reddy. The JAC leaders, who sat in front of the Arts College building with the body through Tuesday night, said they would not allow it to be moved unless all MPs and state legislators from the region resign in support of the Telangana statehood demand.
In an attempt to shift the body, police brought additional forces to the campus Wednesday morning.
The self-immolations triggered angry protests by students across Telangana. The students’ JAC called for a two-day shutdown Wednesday and Thursday.
The politicians’ JAC, which comprises all parties including the ruling Congress, has supported the shutdown for Wednesday.
The JAC also announced that all elected representatives would submit their resignations from Wednesday and those who have already done so would press for their acceptance.
Five legislators of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and one of Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) began a sit—in at the house of assembly speaker Kirankumar Reddy Tuesday night, urging him to immediately accept their resignations. The speaker, however, sought two to three days to take a decision.
With the legislators continuing their protest, the police took them into custody. They were later released.
All 39 legislators of main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have also decided to press the speaker to accept their resignations.
Pressure mounts on Telangana MLAs to quit
The all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Tuesday decided to mount pressure on the MLAs from the region to quit their posts in protest against the Centre’s alleged wavering attitude on the separate statehood demand.
Coming under pressure from the students of Osmania University here, the nerve centre of the Telangana agitation, following the alleged suicide by a student in support of the separate state demand, the JAC leaders decided to press for the resignation of the public representatives.
“The people are committing suicide in protest against the government’s wavering attitude as the Centre hesitates to make a categorical statement in support of Telangana. That is how they are expressing their anger,” JAC convenor C Kodandaram told reporters.
“We feel the only way to stop all this is an announcement of a time frame for the formation of Telangana state. In this direction we feel the public representatives should quit their posts to express their protest,” he said.
The JAC would call for a meeting of the public representatives on Wednesday or Thursday to press for their resignation, Mr. Kodandaram said.
The JAC also decided to support the 24-hour Telangana bandh called by the students tomorrow.
Earlier, the charred body of K Venugopal Reddy (23), an MCA final-year student of a private college, was found near Tagore Auditorium in the OU premises.
Coming under pressure from the students of Osmania University here, the nerve centre of the Telangana agitation, following the alleged suicide by a student in support of the separate state demand, the JAC leaders decided to press for the resignation of the public representatives.
“The people are committing suicide in protest against the government’s wavering attitude as the Centre hesitates to make a categorical statement in support of Telangana. That is how they are expressing their anger,” JAC convenor C Kodandaram told reporters.
“We feel the only way to stop all this is an announcement of a time frame for the formation of Telangana state. In this direction we feel the public representatives should quit their posts to express their protest,” he said.
The JAC would call for a meeting of the public representatives on Wednesday or Thursday to press for their resignation, Mr. Kodandaram said.
The JAC also decided to support the 24-hour Telangana bandh called by the students tomorrow.
Earlier, the charred body of K Venugopal Reddy (23), an MCA final-year student of a private college, was found near Tagore Auditorium in the OU premises.
