Normal life was affected in several districts on Tuesday with supporters of different parties enforcing two bandh calls in north and south Bengal districts.
While in several districts of south Bengal supporters of the Left parties tried to enforce the Bharat Bandh called by farmers protestinf the new farm laws by blocking railways and roads, in north Bengal it was Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters who tried to enforce the bandh called in protest over Monday’s violence at Siliguri.
Left party supporters tried to block suburban Railways by throwing banana leaves on the overhead railway lines. Eastern Railway officials said movement of trains was affected in the Diamond Harbour section and at Jadavpur, Rishra, Ashoknagar railway sections. Bandh supporters squatted on railway tracks with flags and even climbed on to train engines. As many as 26 trains were cancelled at Sealdah.
At several places in Kolkata and suburbs, roads were blocked for vehicular traffic. There were rallies by Congress and Left parties at several places in Kolkata and in the districts. Shops and commercial establishment remained shut at various places. There were fewer private vehicles on the streets.
Meanwhile, in north Bengal supporters of BJP blocked roads by burning tyres at Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts. There were fewer vehicles at the Siliguri Tenzing Norgay bus stand, the biggest in Siliguri. BJP supporters also tried to enforce bandh at Malda . In the town BJP supporters closed the post office and forced employees to leave. The BJP MLA from Malda, Swadhin Kumar Sarkar, was detained for trying to enforce bandh.
Except the Trinamool Congress, supporters of all political parties tried to enforce bandhs in different parts of the State. The Trinamool Congress leadership including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have extended moral support to Bharat Bandh but said party supporters would not try to enforce the strike.
