Teachers Day boycott against Prof's death: state-wide bandh

Bhopal, Sep 5 (UNI) Amid boycott of Teachers' Day celebrations, a near total bandh was observed across Madhya Pradesh today to protest the death of Prof H S Sabharwal during students violence in Ujjain last week.

Called by the opposition Congress to protest the alleged BJP government attempt to ''shield the guilty'' and to press for a CBI inquiry, the bandh was, by and large, peaceful, barring minor incidents of fracas over closure of shops at Ratlam, Bhopal and Jabalpur, official sources said.

Traders, students and teachers voluntarily supported the bandh though essential services had been kept out of its purview, state Congress spokesman Manak Agrawal said.

Normal life has been affected at most places due to disruption in vehicular traffic, closure of educational institutions and markets. Bandh impact was more visible in urban areas.

While teaching staff boycotted teachers day celebrations at Bhopal and Jabalpur universities, many educational institutions either cancelled the celebrations or observed undeclared holiday.

Besides the state capital, reports from UNI bureaux across the state said the day-long bandh was successful in Indore, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior,Ratlam,Sagar, Tikamgarh, Shivpuri, Sehore, Raisen, Rajgarh, Mandla, Dindori, Katni, Dhar, Jhabua, Mandsaur, Neemuch and other areas.

At Ujjain, the teachers observed 'black day' to pay tributes to Prof Sabharwal and took out a silent rally. They also demanded high-level probe into his death. The bandh was limited to half day as the temple town observed bandh earlier also to protest Prof Sabharwal's death.

Prof Sabharwal's son Himanshu sought CBI probe in the matter even as the Congress alleged that police was being pressurised by the ruling BJP not to arrest its workers for attacking the professors.

At Indore also, the bandh was limited upto 1500 hours in view of Ganesh idol immersion. The local administration-managed city buses were off the road. Congress workers gheraoed the Divisional Commissioner's office to press for CBI probe.

A total of 37 people, including 9 of ABVP and 28 of NSUI and Congress, have been arrested so far in connection with rioting and attack on professors in violence after abrupt postponement of students union elections at Madhav College on August 26. Two ABVP leaders, who had been detained on the charge of murdering Prof Sabharwal, had been removed from their posts.

At Bhopal, the main markets were closed and educational institutions observed holiday due to which Teachers Day functions could not be held. Elaborate security arrangements had been made in view of the bandh.

At Ratlam, cases had been registered against Corporator Paras Nagori and few Congress workers for forcing traders to down shutters.

UNI Team SP 1541