Bhubaneswar: The bandh called by Navnirman Krushak Sangathan on Wednesday over alleged errors in school textbooks partially disrupted normal life across the state. Private vehicles plied as usual, while most buses remained off the road till afternoon.Protesters staged road blockades at Baramunda bus stand in Bhubaneswar, on NH-16 in Balasore and at several other places. According to police, the bandh remained peaceful. Protesters, led by Navnirman Yuva Chhatra Sangathan president MD Manwar, distributed chocolates to commuters and requested them to support the bandh instead of blocking their way or vandalising vehicles.“Our protest is against the govt’s failure to correct errors in school textbooks. We will not create any problems for common people during the bandh as we believe in non-violence. Our protest will be intensified if the school and mass education minister does not resign,” Manwar said.Akshaya Kumar, who is on the 25th day of his hunger strike demanding resignation of school and mass education minister Nityananda Gond over the textbook row, said, “We will continue our satyagraha until Gond resigns from his post.” He added that the satyagraha entered its 42nd day on Wednesday.All Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association general secretary Debendra Kumar Sahoo said most buses from Baramunda bus terminal did not ply to avoid any face-off with bandh picketers on the way to their destinations.He said several passengers, who were unaware of the bandh or had emergency travel needs, were stranded at the bus stand. “To help passengers, we started bus services in the afternoon as vehicular traffic was normal,” he added.Many buses in western Odisha operated despite the bandh call. Educational institutions, offices, business establishments and other establishments remained open on Wednesday. Some shops were closed, showing solidarity with the bandh. Odisha Secondary School Teacher Eligibility Test was also conducted, with candidates reaching examination centres and appearing for the test.“I waited for several hours at Baramunda bus stand due to the bandh. I wanted to visit my village in Deogarh for a medical emergency. I did not know about the bandh,” said Maguni Behera of Barkote in Deogarh.As train services operated as usual, crowds were seen at various railway stations as people travelled to their destinations.
