Bandh on May 31 unconstitutional

Citizens group AGNI on Tuesday said the Bharat Bandh on May 31 called by the National Democratic Alliance against the recent petrol price hike is unconstitutional.

The organisation,which sued the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance over a bandh held in 2003,recalled the Bombay High Court order of 2005 that forced the two parties to pay a fine of Rs 20 lakh each.

The verdict specified that any organisation calling a bandh in the future shall be served a notice under Section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code and liable for legal action including arrest and payment of compensation.

The court also ordered that police should give priority to maintaining a visible presence throughout the city on bandh days and also provide for video surveillance to identify miscreants. Bandhs are no way to achieve a desired end in governance, said Gerson da Cunha,AGNI trustee and convenor.

Meanwhile,unions affiliated to Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) said they would not participate in the bandh. Instead,it said it would protest against the price rise through conferences,morchas and dharnas across Mumbai and Thane. We are not concerned with the politics of bandh. We are protesting against what is affecting the common man, said union leader Sharad Rao.

HMS includes workers from railways,docks,air and road transport,factory workers,street vendors and other employees of service and civic sectors.

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