The bandh called by various tribal organisations in Jharkhand on Tuesday against the Delimitation Commission of India’s decision to reduce the number of seats reserved for scheduled tribes in the state Assembly from 28 to 22 received a good response in tribal belts. However, it did not affect life in cities.
Political parties, such as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), who oppose the delimitation panel’s decision, however, refrained from getting directly involved in either calling or implementing the bandh as the election commission’s code of conduct is in force for the elections for the Jamshedpur parliamentary seat.
It was therefore left to tribal bodies in the state, with a tacit support from political parties, to implement the bandh.
Sources said the bandh was almost ‘total’ in most areas of the state having a sizeable tribal population.
There were reports of sporadic violence from Ranchi, Dhanbad and a few other cities.
Police rounded up around 200 adivasi youths when they tried to block the Adityapur Bridge here this morning. They were later released on personal bonds.