Leftists Call Bihar Bandh a Huge Success
Patna: Aug. 20, 2008
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Leftists Call Bihar Bandh a Huge Success
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Photo by Anupam Singh |
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Hundreds of Communist Party of India (ML) activists and members of over a dozen labor unions were arrested across Bihar during their statewide bandh and 'jail bharo' campaign on Wednesday to protest against the Indo-US nuclear deal and the ever-rising prices of food and other essential items.
Accusing the Nitish government of failing to effectively implement various social schemes including Public Distribution System, National Rural Employment Guarantee, regularizing Below Poverty List, and a host of housing projects for people living under the below poverty line.
Seizing majority of the vital streets of Patna for most of the day, the red-flaggers allowed themselves to be arrested at the Hartali Mor while clashing with the police officials.
CPI-ML state secretary Nand Kishore Prasad called the event 'historic' and a 'complete success'.
"The success of today's bandh has exposed the failure of the UPA government at the Center and the Nitish government in Bihar. Both have failed to live up to the expectations of the people who voted them into power in the first place," Prasad said.
Besides the CPI-ML, the bandh was jointly called by more than half a dozen other left parties including the CPI, CPI-M, Forward Bloc, RSP, All India People's Forward Block, and Bhartiya Janwadi Forward Bloc with the support of dozens of labor unions.
Interestingly, the arrested leaders said they were disappointed by the fact that the administration had not made any arrangement for food, water, or chairs at the makeshift jail for the leaders volunteering for arrests.
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