Bandh disrupts normal life in Kalahandi

Bhawanipatna: Normal life came to a standstill in Kalahandi district due to a dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Congress protesting against the shifting of the proposed railway wagon repair factory from Narla to Vishakhapatnam in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Members of the district Congress blocked roads at many places, including Bhawanipatna, bringing vehicular movement to a grinding halt in the district.

Speaking to media persons here, AICC Secretary Bhakta Charan Das said, “We had given time and also requested the Centre not to do anything against the interest of people of Kalahandi as they have already tolerated so much. The UPA government had decided to set up the rail wagon repair factory at Narla but due to elections the inauguration ceremony was postponed but we wanted the new BJP government would raise the issue in Parliament but they didn’t. Therefore, we as the opposition party called a bandh in Kalahandi as it was successfully done without any untoward incidents.”

“After this, if the Central government would not consider and the state government will not present its demand properly then a delegation from Kalahandi district Congress Committee will stage a big dharana in front of East Coast Railway (EoCR) GM office in Bhubaneswar in the next few days,” Das added

However, emergency services remained operational as the protesters spared them from the shutdown.

Senior Congress leader Bhakta Das has requested all government and private organizations, trade unions to support the bandh called by the party.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday has sought a clarification from Union Railway minister Suresh Prabhu about the decision on the shifting of the railway wagon repair factory.