The Bihar bandh, called by the Left parties on Thursday to protest the sexual abuse of minor girls in Muzaffarpur shelter, hit normal life in most parts of the State.
Rail and road traffic were disrupted by the bandh supporters demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the State Social Welfare Department Minister Manju Verma. Opposition parties, including the RJD, the Congress and the Hindustani Awam Morcha, had supported the call for the day-long bandh. However, none of their senior leaders were seen on the road with the protesting Left party leaders.
The ruling NDA, however, called the bandh a complete flop. State Agriculture Minister and senior BJP leader Prem Kumar said it was called only to harass the people. “The Muzaffarpur shelter home case has already been handed over to the CBI... so there was no point in calling the bandh.”
Schools closed
In Patna, schools and business establishments remained closed. There was a scuffle between bandh supporters and police at J.P. Golumber (roundabout) where the protesters, shouting slogans against the Nitish Kumar government, tried to march through the Dak Bungalow chouraha (throughfare), the City centre.
Train and road traffic were disrupted at Patna, Jehanabad, Gaya, Bhojpur, Muzaffarpur, Siwan, Sheikhpura, Arwal, Nawada, Darbhanga and Madhubani districts. However, no untoward incidents were reported from anywhere. Bandh supporters blocked the railway track for hours at Jehanabad, Sheikhpura, Madhubani and Bhojpur, holding up several trains. Railway officials said the protesters climbed on to the engine of some trains, carrying flags and banners.
In Muzaffarpur, Left party supporters and leaders staged a demonstration outside the residence of Brajesh Thakur, the main accused in the case. Thakur headed the NGO that ran the tainted shelter home. The protesters demanded a High-Court monitored CBI inquiry and the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and State Welfare Minister Manju Verma. Ms Verma’s husband was earlier accused of frequent visits to the Muzaffarpur shelter home. The Minister denied this and said it was a “political conspiracy against her family, which belonged to a backward community.”
