| On 05 July 2010 the opposition parties in India | | | | a form of protest during the sixties when the fire |
| called for a bandh to protest against price rise and | | | | brand union leader George Fernandes and later |
| cost of living due to the policies of the Congress | | | | the Shiv Sena would bring the city of Mumbai |
| led United Front Government. A bandh ( closure) | | | | including all trade and commerce to a |
| is a legitimate form of protest against any policy | | | | standstill.Thus the bands began to have a negative |
| and is frequently resorted to by the political | | | | effect and in a lot many cases were enforced by |
| parties. It is form of protest where in a complete | | | | goons and hired thugs, who spread out and |
| shut down is effected of all services and markets | | | | ensured that the diktat of the political party was |
| as a mark of protest. | | | | carried out. |
| Bandh's in India can trace their origin to the days | | | | The bandhs also led to wide spread economic |
| of the British Raj.Theoretically they are supposed | | | | losses to the economy as trade and commerce |
| to be peaceful and voluntary, but in most cases | | | | was brought to a standstill. This is certainly a |
| the bandhs are enforced not with a little coercion | | | | negative aspect of the bandhs.There have been |
| and force. Bandhs can also turn violent, resulting in | | | | even cases when governments in power like in |
| damage to property both private and | | | | West Bengal have called for bandhs against |
| government 0wned. | | | | policies of the central government. In such cases |
| Some time back the Mumbai High cart had come | | | | the state machinery was put to use and the |
| down heavily on the perpetrator's of the bandhs, | | | | Government itself took transport and other |
| the Shiv Sena and BJP and fined them 50 lakhs of | | | | government controlled services of the road. |
| rupees, as the court felt that Bandhs affected | | | | The bandh is certainly a legitimate form of |
| normal life and privacy of an individual and should | | | | protest in case it is voluntary and no element of |
| not be resorted to. The spirit behind this | | | | coercion or force is part of it.This is an excellent |
| judgment is laudable, but the fact remains what is | | | | way of registering a protest.But care needs to be |
| the legitimate way a political party can articulate | | | | taken that bandhs are not for frivolous reasons |
| the grievances of the people in a peaceful manner | | | | as the losses in terms of finance and commerce |
| other than a bandh? | | | | can be prohibitive.Also the element of coercion |
| The Bandhs culture picked up in a bigger way as | | | | needs to be completely eschewed. |