Mixed response to 'Bharat Bandh' in Uttarakhand

The 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmer unions against the agri laws evoked a mixed response in Uttarakhand on Tuesday, with little effect seen in the hill districts of Chamoli, Pauri, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag while the border district of Pithoragarh observed a complete strike.

In the state capital, scores of party workers led by PCC president Pritam Singh marched from the state party office here to Paltan bazar to enforce the bandh but ran into arguments with shop owners who refused to down their shutters.

Later they sat on a dharna at the busy clock tower shouting slogans against the new farm laws causing a brief traffic jam in the area.

However, police intervened to restore traffic detaining the PCC president along with his supporters and taking them to the police lines.

However, most shops in Rajpur road area, the heart of the town remained open. Traffic was also normal except for the brief disruption due to the sit-in by Congress workers.

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While the bandh did not have a major impact in Dehradun district with open shops and normal traffic on the roads it produced some effect in parts of Udham Singh Nagar district where farmers' organisations hit the streets to enforce the bandh.

However, there was no disruption of peace anywhere.

Security had been beefed up in all the districts to ensure there was no law and order problem anywhere during the bandh, DGP Ashok Kumar said.

Udham Singh Nagar SSP Dilip Singh Kunwar said a strict vigil is being maintained and there is no report of any disturbance from anywhere.

However, shops and business establishments at Jaspur, Kashipur, Bajpur, Gadarpur, Kichcha, Sitarganj, Khatima and Nanakmatta in the district remained shut.

Led by Congress leader Tilak Raj Behad, party workers shouted slogans against the Centre at Rudrapur and demanded withdrawal of the farm laws.

Former municipal council chairperson Meena Sharma, who was seen holding a cut out of a plough as the symbol of farmers in her hands, said the Centre will have to repeal the new farm laws.

"We won't tolerate the insult of farmers," she said.

In the hill districts of Uttarakhand like Chamoli, Pauri, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag the bandh had little effect.

However, in the border district of Pithoragarh in Kumaon region the bandh was almost total with the main markets completely closed.

Vehicle owners also kept their vehicles off the road in response to an appeal by bandh supporters, bandh coordinator for the district Susheel Khatri said

However, no untoward incident was witnessed in any part of the district, circle officer of Pithoragarh TS Rautela said.