Cyclone Gulab, which brought copious rain to the city and district, also contributed to the success of the Bharat Bandh with most people choosing to remain indoors instead of going out in the rain, on Monday. RTC buses were off the roads till 1 p.m. as the State government also supported the bandh, organised to protest against the ‘anti-people’ policies of the Modi government.
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A rally was taken out under the aegis of the CPI(M) Jagadamba zone committee from the Jagadamba Junction to Suryabaugh.
A good number of people participated in the rally, braving the incessant downpour due to the cyclone. The participants, carrying banners and red flags, raised slogans against the decision of the Central government on strategic sale of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and privatisation of other PSUs, against the three farm laws and taxing the people through all possible means, ignoring their difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shopkeepers downed their shutters and expressed their solidarity with the bandh.
Another rally was taken out from Poorna Market to the Gandhi statue, near the GVMC. Party workers, women and representatives of various people’s organisations participated in the rally. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has played havoc with the lives of the common people, the Union government instead of rushing to their rescue was crippling them financially with its policies, Students Federation of India (SFI) secretary N. Ajay Kumar has said. A bandh was organised by the SFI in Andhra University.
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Addressing the participants, Mr. Ajay Kumar said that the ‘sale of PSUs’, farm laws, New Education Policy(NEP) and hike in prices of essential commodities were a big blow to the common people. He alleged that the Centre has unilaterally brought out the NEP and the State government was implementing it.