Fewer Bharat bandhs if government is more flexible
There has been partial disruption in pockets all over the country with a call for ‘Bharat Bandh’ by opposition parties and trade unions protesting against the government’s ‘anti-people’ policies. Increasing prices, particularly the multiple hikes in fuel rates, privatisation of state-owned banks and other PSUs, and more benefits for unorganised labour are some of the areas being highlighted by the protestors. Organised employees in urban centres are also miffed at the rollback of interest rates for the Employees Provident Fund in January this year. The new interest rates for 2021–22—at 8.1%—is the lowest since 1977–78. While transport and high street life has hardly been affected, there has been heavy absenteeism in banks, leading to disruption of financial services.
Some opposition parties in power have adopted an opportunistic attitude to the ‘bandh’ call. Protests are okay when the target is the Centre, but not okay if it affects the state. For instance, in West Bengal, the Bandh call had little effect after the Mamta Banerjee-led TMC kept offices open and issued an order that casual or sick leave would be treated as “dies non” (not counted) and “no salary will be admissible”.
After the farmers’ agitation and the five-state election, this is the first mass bandh. It seemed after the convincing BJP win in the by-polls, anti-government protests would be low key. However, the discontent still seems to be simmering under the radar. There has also been some debate on the ethics and efficacy of such paralysing protests. The Kerala High Court has held that the participation of government employees in the bandh would be illegal.
A section of liberal opinion supports the view that satyagraha and protest should be limited to ‘constitutional’ means and that disruption of public transport and forced closures creates a “grammar of anarchy”, as warned by B R Ambedkar. On the other hand, it was only after more than a year of street protests and disruption that the farmers’ agitation was taken seriously and the laws rolled back. If the government remains inflexible, such Bharat Bandhs will continue irrespective of the finer issues of ethics.