Literally it means closure. But today in our country's scenario it means burn buses, throw stones at buildings, loot shops, burn tyres and scare the hapless common man in the name of protests.
I am angry, frustrated and above all helpless. I am a law abiding citizen, do my duties promptly; yet why do I have face inconvenience? The state sponsored agitation in the form of "bandh" today in Karnataka has crippled the lives of common man. In this nation of largest democracy; the common man who is the majority is not cared nor considered.
Order to prosecute CM by our state's governor has resulted in this protests. Is this not a form of terrorism by the political parties on the people who trust them and brought them to power? The ruling party want to protest. Let them do it legally; but why force it on the public? The sight this morning was disturbing. City buses one by one; alighted commuters mid way and returned to the bus depot. What about those people who want to commute to work? School children who were waiting to go to school? Office goers? Travelers stuck on National Highway? No one had any prior intimation as the bandh was declared middle of the night.
We dont have time for all this nonsense, we have our own personal issues. Why jeopardize our life? Loss of crores of money due to closure of business. Would the ruling party pay up for this loss? Would they take up responsibility for the damages to life and property? No one has the right to destroy public property; but these thugs have been ransacking and shamelessly declaring it with pomp. The television clips show them dancing, merry making and laughing away. The opposition are making hay while the sun shines; condemning the acts as if they are all saviors!
All this while, our honorable CM is hiding somewhere. Since last week, major IT companies like Infosys and Wipro want to move out of Karnataka due to lack of support and infrastructure while lands are given at throw away prices and as freebies to kins and relatives of politicians.
What use are the infrastructure and economic development ; when the country is inhabited by rogues and beasts who are not considerate towards fellow human beings.
Appalling and shameful.
hmm..whatever takes place the first one to get affected is the common man and ironically being in majority too we can't help it :(
ReplyDeleteas a Law abiding citizens, what is our duty against the bandh?
ReplyDeleteit will create a long debate..anger, frustration, helplessness etc etc will keep on happening; nor we can make any difference individually, but we don't do anything individually either thinking it won't help!
are we still 100% law abiding citizens?
Ha ha Banglorians are cocooned inside today , thanks to the State sponsored terror called Bandh.
ReplyDeleteDo we deserve the freedom and leeway that the democratic system of governance entails?
Everybody here is a " Harichandra", then where did all the money go?
If the Governor cannot exercise his discretion under the constitution which in fact gives him the power to sanction prosecution of a office holding minister, then why do we have a constitution at all. We can follow anarchy. In any case things are moving in that direction.
Hound these criminals who plunder, hang the ones who destroy public properties. There is no way out other than the exercise of the strong arm of law. But when the accused and the jury are the same what can we hope for?
you are right but there is little we can do to prevent all these...
ReplyDeleteHaving stayed in J&K, we have gone through enough bandhs to last a lifetime! And during the Amarnath Shrine Board issue in July-Aug 2008, Jammu was shut down for more than a month! It was the most toughest and terriblest time for the common man!
ReplyDeleteThese type of activities always make the life of common people miserable and irony is that they can't do anything about it :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog also. You are always welcome there. Please keep visiting.
I have lived in Kerala for a long time and bandhs happen at the drop of a hat.Finally the the Honourable Hghcourt passed an order there must be no more bandhs as it is crippling the life of common man. But what happened , there no bandhs, only hartals!!
ReplyDeleteWho cares for the common man?The politicians buzz around making noises about what they'll do and after they've been elected vanish into the thin air.Thats why we have Chief Ministers who install their own idols everywhere in the state and,as you mentioned,we have Governors who don't have the right to exercise their duties.
ReplyDeleteThey say its the common man who can actually make a difference...but its like asking a group of mice who'll bell the cat
This always happens.When you mentioned the word 'COMMON MAN',it remembers me about pic 'WEDNESDAY'.Even it that pic,they clearly specify that no one cares about common men,coz v r jus ordinary people,but ya ordinary men can actually make a lot of difference.
ReplyDeleteHope such inconvenience doesn't happen again.
Excellent post. There should be more bandh. Bandh is a stepping stone for India to become super power by 2020.
ReplyDeleteWho cares about common man? It is same in all countries - extent is different.
ReplyDeleteI hate Bandhs....politics at its best. Wish we grow out of it.
But keep in mind, Bandh was integral part of our freedom struggle.
I swear!!
ReplyDeleteI just thought of writing the same words, but soon I realized its absolutely no use.This is INDIA. Changes happens.But not in politics.These people will never ever change and they will never let others live peacefuly.
Today without realising bandh , I was standing in the bus stop for more than 40 min.Only when my mom called I realised it.Then I took some private van to reach my destination.Sigh!!!
What a travel it was!!
For the first time ever, I hate Bangalore for such unnecessary and unimportant bandh :(:(:(
Like they say.. People need to grow!! Trust me, this will never happen in politics.They behave so cheap and this is the reason there are no " so called " educated fellows in that particular field.
Common man? You identify yourself with the 'common man of India'? Don't flatter yourself. People like you are the uncommon, rarest of the rare. The guys you saw burning buses, looting shops - they are the common - men. They vote political parties to power so that they too can have a lick of the honey pot. While autocracy is the dictatorship of one, democracy is the dictatorship of the many!
ReplyDeleteTake it or leave it. Or shut up.
Its important to do our bit and carry on, despite such stuff. Perhaps comment on, perhaps influence public opinion in our own way and move on !
ReplyDeleteI think you are well on that track !
:)
Scribbler,
ReplyDeleteExactly. Thats the sad part.
Neha,
You are true. I dont see a solution.
anil,
You are happy? :-o
Yes, we had a terrible time yesterday.
Law? Oh but who is going to implement the law?
The so called strict and honest Commissioner of Police of Bangalore was nowhere in sight yesterday. They are working for politicians not for people
Stranger,
True. We cant do nothing.
Shilpa,
I can understand your plight; you folks must be really strong and patient to go through these ordeal.
Talha,
Yes, its we who suffer. Thanks for your comments.
chitra,
Kerala? Talk about it! They call for bandhs for anything and everything. Its illegal and law passed by SC. But who cares and respects?
Anu,
Yes, who cares? The only thing we can do is hope for a change
Neeha,
Yes, ordinary we are. Lets hope
SG,
Thanks. Yeah bandhs are necessary for India's progress.
A,
Who like bandhs? Bandh was integral part of our freedom struggle; it was justified and was for people's well being. But now? They call bandh just to protect their interest. Our CM last evening spoke in a press conference and thanked the people of Karnataka for "voluntarily participating in the bandh and supporting him" What shit!
Ramya,
I am so sorry for you. But why hate Bangalore? Its the politicians who are at fault.
Bala,
Errr...i hope this is a sarcastic comment. I better take it and shut up! as you say
Kavi,
Yes, we can just do our bit. Thank you; hopefully things would change for our future generations.
I can't imagine. I cannot. I live in Minneapolis, where we are loathe to hint at discord (our Scandinavian forefathers are to blame) let alone strike.
ReplyDeleteHope "bandh" leads to change, not just inconvenience.
(Over from Kavi's...)
Pearl
Why cant we find other ways of protesting..like working more.
ReplyDeleteWhy destruct, why not connstruct something.?
Its bad for business, particularly ones that are deadline based. shame.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@Bindu: Oops! sarcastic, but not at you; bitter, but not because of you. The sour taste of Sabarimalai incident still hasn't left my mind. Bandh here in Kerala is illegal, so they now call it Hartal.Any petty little party can call for a bandh, beat up shopkeepers, burn buses. In Bnagalore, for a corrupt CM. Are we still having illusions about India? This is a rotten country, most of the time. Now, I will stop here.
ReplyDeleteWe can boast on our own protest vocabulary: there is the sit-down strike (sometimes a hunger strike) known as the dharna; the protest march, or virodh pradarshan; the blockade of a government or political office, known as the gherao; and many others. But the bandhs, which call for the closing of businesses and government offices, and for a public boycott of work, cause the most disruption and nuisance and have lost the most public favor and gained only anger.Political parties just announce the bandhs to show they are capable of doing it.
ReplyDeleteIn Kerala,we are so much used to it.If you and me join,we can easily declare a bandh,and probably close the city for a day,it is so simple!
Because, most of us, are law abiding citizens, political parties take advantage of the situation.
ReplyDeleteNone of you remember the students movement during V P Singh's rule.
Read that part of History.
But it resulted in an Off no! :)
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, Bandh is one act of these parties, I disapprove on its face. Again and again, they just show off their power by doing violence on the streets, burning buses, beating up common man. Sigh.
Pearl,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to B Log. We hope the same, though I dont see it in near future.
Bandhs are for personal gain.
Thank you for your views.
Hope you see you here again.
Renu,
Construct? Oh common how can we do something like constructing?
Alpha Za,
Welcome to B Log. It affected to somewhere close to 2000 crore of Indian Rs; the damage was half as it was a Saturday.
Bala,
I agree with you
dr.antony,
Kerala is pretty bad in this isnt it? We all hate that. Its for personal motive and we are affected
Chowla sir,
Yes, thats the problem
Hit Wicked,
Haan it did. But it was not a smooth one right? Students had to go till school/college and come back when there were no buses. Office goers struggled as well while the auto rickshawallas fleeced them
It was sad.
Bandh is a curse that our country has to bear. There is no way there is going to be a law against it as its the politicians who are more interested in keeping it alive.
ReplyDeleteHaddock,
ReplyDeleteYes. You are right; I dont think we will get any respite from this.
You are correct. These Bandhs happen in the name of common man. But it is ultimately the same common man who suffers at the end.
ReplyDeleteVashundhara,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to B Log. Thank you. Yes, ultimately we are the sufferers. Keep hopping by.
I hate bandhs especially if it is declared after going half way to office...
ReplyDeleteIt also causes unnecessary anxiety, for e.g: when raj thackrey agitated against north indians, my friend who is a bihari was petrified. She did not come out for 2 days.
A friend of mine rightly said, india has developed indians have not.
G3,
ReplyDeleteI know its a waste of a day and frustrating. Your friend has hit the spot.