State govt denies cabinet decision to call for bandh

The state government has denied allegations by former commissioner of police Julio Ribeiro that the Maharashtra band in October 2021 was state-sponsored.

Ribeiro and three others had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the state government-sponsored one-day bandh on October 11 last year, which was called to express solidarity with the farmers’ protest and the mowing down of farmers in Lakhimpur, Uttar Pradesh. The PIL alleged that the bandh had caused a loss of Rs 3,000 crore to the public exchequer.

As per earlier HC directions, an affidavit was filed by the government and the police denying the allegations in the PIL and stating that necessary steps were taken to maintain law and order and to ensure there was no damage to public or property.

Affidavit filed by deputy secretary to the home department, Sanjay Khedekar, states that as per the minutes of meeting on October 6, “no cabinet decision was taken to call for a state-wide bandh”.

“The state cabinet has only expressed grief and offered its condolences and tributes to the farmers who died in the unfortunate incident at Lakhimpur Kheri,” reads the affidavit.

Affidavit filed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Sanjay Latkar states that the moment the state government “received knowledge” that the “peaceful bandh” was called for to protest regarding the killing of farmers, the “state machinery was immediately set into motion” and necessary steps were taken “to ensure that law and order situation is maintained” in the city by making necessary arrangements and providing additional police bandobast.

Additional police force had been provided and for every infraction of law, which was reported to different police stations, immediate action was taken by the police station concerned, by either registering FIR and/or non-cognisable complaint and by arresting or detaining the miscreants, adds the affidavit.

Giving details, the affidavit states preventive action was taken against 63 persons and 16 persons were arrested. One BEST bus was damaged and some damage was caused to the Bangur Nagar police station costing approximately Rs 3,500.

The PIL seeks that the HC declare the bandh (strike) as unconstitutional and illegal

Calls bandh “unique and unprecedented”

States it was called by the parties of the ruling coalition

It prays that the political parties – the Shiv Sena, the Congress party and the NCP – be directed to pay compensation to the affected citizens

In the past, a bandh has usually been called for and enforced by a political party or a group in the opposition

This time it was done despite knowing that the Supreme Court had held such bandhs “unconstitutional and hence illegal”