Raipur, Sept 21 (PTI) A bandh called by the opposition Congress on Saturday against the “deteriorating” law and order situation in Chhattisgarh evoked a mixed response with negligible impact on transport services while business establishments also functioned normally.
The Opposition party has flagged incidents like arson in Loharidih village and the custodial death of an accused in prison to call the shutdown.
State Congress president Deepak Baij and Congress workers took out a motorcycle rally in Raipur, appealing to shopkeepers and business establishments to down shutters.
The Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce, however, didn’t support the bandh call.
Shops in most areas in Raipur and other cities resumed business in the second half of the day.
Essential services were excluded from the purview of the bandh. Bus and transport services were not affected during the day, officials said.
Baij alleged people in Chhattisgarh were living under the shadow of fear due to the rising crime graph and accused the Vishnu Deo Sai government of failing to provide a safe environment to the common man.
“Morale of criminals is high. People are being burnt alive, incidents of gang rape have increased, SP and Collector offices are being burnt. In just 9 months, two collectors and as many SPs were removed and suspended as punishment, but the government is busy in self-admiration,” Baij claimed.
He demanded the sacking of Home Minister Vijay Sharma.
Congress sources said the shutdown was partially successful in rural areas dominated by the party.
The house of Loharidih village deputy sarpanch Raghunath Sahu was recently set ablaze by some people following suspicion that he had killed another villager Shivprasad Sahu alias Kachru.
One of the accused arrested by the police, identified as Prashant Sahu, died after he was discharged from a hospital on Wednesday, leading to the suspension of Kabirdham Additional Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar and shunting out of Kabirdham collector and superintendent of police, officials said. PTI COR NSK
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