Anti-quota shutdown fails to elicit response
new delhi — A nationwide antiquota bandh call, given largely through social media, turned out to be a damp squib on Tuesday with virtually no impact on the ground amid heavy security arrangements.
Shops remained closed in some parts of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for a few hours and internet services were restricted in sensitive areas to check “rumour-mongering”, but normal life remained largely unaffected, officials said.
Reports from Bihar showed attempts to block trains.
While schools remained open in Bhopal, some of them suspended their bus services. Officials in Madhya Pradesh said that the bandh call was given on social media and no organisation had come forward so far to claim responsibility for it.
In Rajasthan, the state government had issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC ) and blocked mobile internet services in the state capital as a precautionary measure. No demonstration or rally took place and transport vehicles plied normally. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were in place in Gwalior, Bhopal, Sagar and some other sensitive towns of the state to avoid any untoward incidents.
In Uttar Pradesh, life by and large remained normal and officials said there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the state till around noon.
In Gujarat, the bandh evoked tepid response with most establishments and markets staying open in major cities and towns, an official said. The state remained unaffected.
There was mixed response in Punjab and Haryana with shops and commercial establishments remaining shut in some parts and protesters taking out marches in some areas. — PTI
There has been no impact of the alleged bandh so far. The state police is also keeping a watch on the social media. Bhupendra Singh, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister