Bihar bandh call evoked encouraging response: AISA

Patna, Oct 25 (UNI) The All India Students Association (AISA) today claimed that its Bihar Bandh call to protest the unprovoked attacks on Bihari students in Maharashtra evoked an encouraging response as life remained paralysed throughout the state.

A release issued by the AISA said its workers enforced the bandh throughout the state and in the process, they also disrupted movement of trains at various railway stations, including Darbhanga, Narkatiaganj, Sheikhpura and Samastipur.

''Thousands of AISA workers, in small groups, spontaneously gathered at several places in Patna, Ara, Chhapra, Buxara, Arwal and Jehanabad and successfully blocked the main roads in the locality, disrupting vehicular movement for several hours,'' AISA sources said, adding that its 2,000 workers were arrested at different places in the state while enforcing the bandh call.

State secretary of the AISA Abhiuday said despite the presence of a large number of security personnel, its workers managed to burn the effigies of MNS president Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

''Both the leaders should be booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, for sedition and murder,'' he added.

''If Union Ministers from Bihar fail to ensure the institution of cases against both the Thackerays under IPC sections relating to offences of murder and sedition, we would move ahead to intensify the agitation for their enmasse resignation,'' he warned.

Mr Abhiuday took exception to the alleged silence of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Union Steel and Fertilisers Minister Ramvilas Paswan on the issue of taking constitutional action against the Vilasrao Deshmukh government for its failure in ensuring safety and security of Biharis in Maharshtra.

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