Well, all of us would have experienced in some form or the other, the "GREAT INDIA SHUTDOWN" a.ka. BANDH yesterday, Monday 5 July 2010.
Todays news shows politicians of various hues proudly proclaiming the success of their greatest ever 'bandh', how the general public supports them and other such pieces of fiction. Most people were afraid of being attacked by political goons or of being stranded without transport, that is the only reason why the general public stayed home.
Most of us I am sure, are not happy about the price rise or the fuel hike. That does not mean we supported the bandh. In fact, the 'success' of the bandh certainly does not mean that prices will be lowered. Quite the contrary.
Merely because the hoodlums of various political parties were successful enough in intimidating shop keepers and other to keep their establishments shut, does not mean that the general public supports such bandhs.
In Mumbai, groups of goons could be seen sitting at street corners, undoubtedly to pressurise shops and establishments not to open. Their presence was so intimidating that even the roadside cart vendors, tea wallas and others did not conduct their business.
Bear in mind the plight of the daily wage earner or rozgaar. A lot of such people depend on their daily earnings to keep food on their table. With one day's enforced lack of work, there would be many such daily earners and their families who went without a meal.
The price of all fruits, vegetables and other perishables shot up on Saturday itself.
In several cities, politically backed hoodlums vandalised public property such as buses etc. On TV most of us would have seen the video of a lady in Bihar, sawing through the pipe of a train. In other words they were causing loss to the tax payer. Will the government do anything to recover these losses from the perpetrator political parties?
People were stranded at airports and railway stations. Those requiring emergency treatment at hospitals were also not spared.
What can we the general public do? What do others here think?
