Kahalgaon bandh successfull; Bihar bandh called on Jan 25

Patna, Jan 20 (UNI) Almost the entire Opposition today called for a Bihar bandh on January 25 to protest the police firing in Kahalgaon, even as life remained paralysed for the second day today following a Kahalgaon bandh in protest against police firing. Chief spokesman of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee(BPCC) Prem Chandra Mishra told UNI here that the decision was taken at a meeting attended by representatives of RJD, Congress, CPI, CPI(M), NCP and Samta Party.

The parties alleged that police atrocities had increased during the NDA regime in the state.

''In the meeting, the Opposition leaders expressed concern over the power crisis in Bihar and alleged that instead of mitigating the miseries of the masses, the NDA government was resorting to police action to suppress the agitation,'' he said.

The parties would observe 'protest day' tomorrow while they would hold dharna throughout the state on January 23. A 'torch light procession' would be taken out on January 24 to create awareness among the masses about the 'failures' of the NDA government, the spokesman said.

The meeting was held at the residence of senior CPI(M) leader Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. It was attended by Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Ram Kripal Yadav, Shyam Rajak(RJD), Vijay Kant Thakur CPI(M) and U N Mishra (CPI) among others.

Meanwhile, a Kahalgaon report said the bandh, called by the locals yesterday to protest the police firing, continued today.

Official sources said life was disrupted and the entire region wore a deserted look during the day as all business establishments remained closed.

Vehicles remained off the roads and private educational institutions remained closed. Attendence in government offices was thin.

An irate mob blocked NH 80 objecting to any political intervention into their 'spontaneous' agitation going on for the past three days in protest against the erratic power supply.

Former CPI(M) MP Subodh Rai, who went to the spot to look into the matter, had to return immediately following the intense agitation.

The irate mob even manhandled a police officer of Kahalgaon police station in the market area during their agitation.

EDS: Here pick up suitably from CA11 'AGITATION-KAHALGAON-BANDH'.

UNI KKS-RS PL SP BD1628