Demonetisation: Opposition protests, bandh evokes mixed reaction in Bihar

Patna: 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. [caption id=“attachment_3128200” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Rashtriya Janta Dal women workers protest against demonetization in Patna on Monday. PTI[/caption] 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. Congress, RJD and CPI-ML took out a protest march on the streets of Patna and stalled traffic movement at some places. 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. Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of East Central Railway Arvind Kumar Rajak said running of more than a dozen trains was disrupted in different parts of Bihar due to the stir. In Darbhanga, Ara, Masaurhi and Madhubani, CPI workers squatted on railway tracks. Outside Bihar Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, bandh supporters from RJD, Congress and CPI-ML, holding placards in their hands, shouted slogans at the entrance gate. BJP MLAs led by leader of opposition Prem Kumar countered them by raising slogans in favour of demonetisation. As the Assembly proceedings began, Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar said that RJD and Congress which have records of corruption during their rule in Bihar as well as at the national level do not have the moral standing to protest against demonetisation. He also thanked the chief minister for supporting the fight against black money. RJD and Congress members shouted back at the BJP members and two CPI-ML MLAs Mehboob Alam and Sudama Kumar rushed to the Well of the House in protest. The House resumed functioning only after intervention of Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary. In the Legislative Council, former chief minister Rabri Devi and Congress MLCs raised slogans against demonetisation at the main gate, which BJP members countered by raising slogans in favour of the move.