The roots of the practice of "BANDH" may lie in
'collective bargaining' in the histry. In fact, during
the struggle for freedom, bandhs (which were called
"HARTAL" then) were entirely different in nature and
aim. The method then used to have the whole-hearted
support of the people, since it was used for the
sacred cause of securing social and economic justice
and political freedom.
Nowadays, bandhs are implemented by the forced closure
of shops and business houses - a method that is
anything but not voluntary, and thus undemocratic.
Bandh calls are for the most part obeyed not because
of support or involvement, but out of fear and terror.
Calls for bandh are fundamentally wrong as they
interfere with the exercise of the fundamental rights
of millions of citizens. They cause great hardship and
suffering. Since bandhs are forced on the people,
every bandh is associated with violence, resulting in
loss of life, public and private property and injury
to individuals.
Nowadays 'Bandhs' are used by political parties or
organisations to exhibit their so-called 'strength',
by collecting people who have no interest in social
justice and who congregate either because they have
been paid to do so, or because they have been
emotionally charged or brainwashed into participating.
Nothing is really achieved by these 'bandhs' other
than satisfying the insecure egos of dubious leaders.
Bandhs become vulgar public shows, head-counts of
those 'in favour' of the "cause". In the process,
anti-social elements and mindless clods have a field
day by burning vehicles, looting shops, jamming the
wheels of progress and preventing the ordinary
citizens from earning their daily bread.
In general, the constant effort of the anti-people
groups and organisations is to do "what will please
the people" and not "what will benefit the people".
Bandhs in the present circumstance mean that
peace-loving people should remain at home while the
communal and Mafia-style mobs are allowed to do
whatever they want. That is exactly what happened in
all the last bandhs called by VHP and BJP. Any bandh
called in such a situation, and that too by known
communal organisations, should be firmly dealt with.

Rohit Prajapati
Trupti Shah
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS