Akrosh Divas against PM Modi's demonetisation move gets mixed response but fails to trouble Govt due to fractured oppn

Normal life was hit in some states on Monday in response to a dawn-to-dusk bandh to protest against demonetisation and press for the use of the old high-value notes till the situation became normal.

Here is the detailed reports on the bandh and protests by the opposition parties in states-

Delhi
The national capital witnessed protests by Opposition parties against demonetisation which caused traffic snarls in several areas.

All Left parties, including CPI(M) and CPI, took out a procession against demonetisation from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar.

Due to the protest, traffic jams were witnessed on roads leading to Jantar Mantar.

Congress was also observing 'Jan Akrosh Diwas' against the manner in which demonetisation move was implemented.

NSUI, student wing of the Congress, had also planned a protest march from Raisina Road to Parliament but police personnel barricaded the area and did not allow them to proceed.

Heavy police deployment was made to thwart any attempt to march towards Parliament. Water cannons were also stationed at the protest site.

Delhi Traffic police said that due to protest by Opposition parties, traffic was heavy at Inner circle Connaught Place.

ALSO READ: (PM Modi will speak on demonetisation if Opposition wanted, says Rajnath Singh)
Kerala
Normal life was hit in Kerala as the ruling CPI-M led LDF sponsored 12-hour strike against demonetisation evoked a near total response.

Shops and business establishments downed shutters and state-run KSRTC and private buses kept off the roads across the state in response to the strike which began at 6am.

The Left Democratic Front took out marches at various places with state CPI-M Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan here attacking the Centre for causing 'hardship' to the people in the name of its crackdown on blackmoney.

The Opposition Congress-led UDF, which did not participate in the hartal, took out a march to the Raj Bhavan instead to register its protest against the Centre's decision to scrap high value notes and consequent crisis in the state's cooperative sector.

Banks functioned with reduced staff strength, while attendance in the state Secretariat and various government offices was thin, reports received here said.

Tourist vehicles have also been exempted from the hartal.

West Bengal
The state-wide 12 hour strike called by the Left Parties to protest demonetisation failed to evoke much response in West Bengal.

Government and private buses, trams and other private vehicles were seen plying on the road while most of the shops and markets were open.

Train services of Eastern Railway in Sealdah and Howrah sections, besides Metro Rail services were also normal, Railway sources said.

The strike call by the Left Front has been opposed by the ruling TMC in West Bengal.

The Left Front claimed that the strike is going on peacefully and accused ruling TMC of trying to unleash violence at certain places.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, opposing the strike had said, "We oppose bandhs. We will take out a protest march (against demonetisation) on Monday."

ALSO READ: (Mamata Banerjee threatens to demonstrate outside PM Modi's residence, vowing to dislodge him from his seat over demonetisation)

Karnataka
Joining the nation-wide 'Jan Aakrosh Diwas' against demonetisation of high value currency, ruling Congress in Karnataka held protests and rallies throughout the state.

The protest affected the functioning of both the Houses of Karnataka Legislature, now in a 10-day winter session at Belagavi, as they did not sit on Monday in line with the decision taken by the Business Advisory Committee (BAC).

Life in Bengaluru and elsewhere remained normal with commercial establishments, educational institutions, banks and private offices working as usual and public transport and Metro maintaining their regular services.

Official reports said barring protests by Congress, the situation in the entire state, including the districts of Mysuru, Gadag, Haveri, Belagavi, Kalaburgi, Chamrajanagar, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada and Kolar, was normal.

At the protest, Congress workers raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and carried placards against demonetisation which they said has "hurt the common people".

Countering Congress, BJP workers observed "Sambhram Divas" (Celebration Day) to back demonetisation and distributed sweets and offered flowers to people in Mysuru, Belagavi, Chamarajnagar and Mandya and other places and raised slogans hailing Modi.

'Jan Aakrosh Diwas' did not strike chord as expected as the state has seen five days of bandhs, protests and strikes in the last four months, including one on Cauvery water issue with Tamil Nadu which was marked by large-scale violence.

Tripura
The bandh evoked a good response in Tripurs with schools, colleges and shops remaining closed and vehicles staying off the roads. However, banks were open as they were out of the purview of the bandh.

There was no untoward incident in any part of the state till noon, police said.

Opposition Congress, which is opposing the bandh, was observing 'Akrosh Diwas' in the state by organising rallies and processions.

Tripura unit of Trinamul Congress (TMC) also opposed the bandh on the same grounds.

The Tripura unit of BJP was also opposed to the bandh.

Andhra Pradesh
Opposition parties organised widespread protests across Andhra Pradesh but no bandh as such was observed in Andhra Pradesh even as leaders of CPI and YSRC were detained at some places following demonstrations.

Congress's state unit president N Raghuveera Reddy led his party workers in a protest rally from Andhra Ratna Bhavan to Lenin Centre.

CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna and others were taken into custody at the Lenin Centre where they staged a protest on the demonetisation issue.

Left-affiliated trade unions organised dharnas in front of many bus depots of AP State Road Transport Corporation in the state.

However, RTC services were not disrupted.

Bihar
The nationwide strike call against demonetisation evoked mixed reaction in Bihar where workers of RJD, Congress and Left parties disrupted train services at many places but offices and schools registered normal attendance.

The protest had its echo in both Houses of the Bihar legislature where legislators of Congress, RJD and CPI-ML raised slogans against scrapping of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.

BJP legislators countered them by raising slogans against them and in favour of demonetisation.

JD(U), a member of the ruling alliance, kept away from the stir in view of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's consistent support to demonetisation of high value notes to fight black money in the economy.

Road traffic was, however, normal and attendance in offices, banks and schools and colleges remained by and large unaffected.
Train services were hit at Darbangha, Madhubani, Masauri in rural Patna, Ara, Jehanabad and other places.

Odisha
The 12-hour agitation against demonetisation by Left parties and Congress evoked minor response in Odisha, with long distance buses remaining off the roads and educational institutions closed.

However, small vehicles like auto-rickshaws plied as usual in almost all places, while the business establishments and government and private offices remained open.

Besides five left parties, Congress activists observed the 'Jana Akrosh' agitation and demonstrated in all blocks in the state while the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) activists took out a procession in Bhubaneswar, Puri and other places.

Most of the activists demonstrated in front of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) office here. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Prasad Harichandan and other senior members were detained while picketing near the RBI office.

The CPI(Maoist) also extended support to the countrywide demonstration. The Malkangiri division of the outlawed outfit appealed to the people in a statement to support the move against demonetisation.

With PTI inputs

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