The statewide bandh called by opposition Congress in Odisha on Monday evoked a positive response with business establishments and educational institutions remaining closed in most parts of the State.
Normal life, however, was badly hit as trains remained stranded at major railway stations and passenger and transport vehicles remained off the roads. Banks and other financial institutions as well and petrol pumps too remained closed.
The bandh continued to remain by and large peaceful even as hundreds of Congress workers and scores of senior leaders of the party were taken into custody for picketing outside government offices and other places.
There was no report of any major untoward incident from any part of the State till noon though an empty private bus that was parked in a lane in Bhubaneswar was partially burnt after a youth set that on fire. The fire was controlled soon by the fire services personnel.
Heavy security arrangements were made in Bhubaneswar and other places of the State to prevent any untoward incident during the bandh.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik came to his office at the State Secretariat at 11-20 am amid tight security. The government offices recorded thin attendance.
“Our bandh call has evoked overwhelming support from the public. It is peaceful and complete success,” said Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik.
"It shows people are against the Biju Janata Dal government headed by Naveen Patnaik,” he said.
The Congress had called for the day-long bandh in protest against the “police high-handedness and action against the party workers during a rally on Mahatma Gandhi Marg outside the State Assembly in Bhubaneswar on Septver 200 persons, including about 60 policemen were injured in the pitched battle between the Congress workers and police for nearly three hours. A woman Constable was also beaten up by the protestors as she could not come out of the crowd during the clash.
