BC Bandh Call Evokes Good Response Across Telangana

The bandh call given by Backward Class (BC) associations and political parties demanding 42% reservation for Backward Classes evoked a strong response and garnered widespread support across Telangana today.

Leaders from BC associations, joined by representatives of several political parties and organisations - including the Congress, BJP, BRS, CPI, CPM, TJS, CPI (ML) New Democracy, Maoist factions, MRPS, Mala Mahanadu, and various tribal, minority and student groups - took out protest marches across the State sloganeering for reservations.

Normal life was disrupted as the shutdown affected commercial and business activities, leaving major roads and highways largely deserted.

Educational institutions, including schools and colleges, were closed for the day, and various business establishments downed their shutters. Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses remained confined to depots, while several banks suspended their services in support of the bandh.

In Hyderabad, BC leaders staged demonstrations at the Jubilee Bus Station (JBS) and Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS). Operations at the MGBS came to a standstill as members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) led a novel form of protest, occupying the bus station's exit gate and raising slogans to block outgoing buses.

The Jubilee Bus Station had huge crowds due to the Deepavali festival and weekend holidays, as many passengers were aiming to travel to their hometowns. However, the sudden bandh left several commuters stranded, with many urging authorities to resume bus services immediately.

Tension prevailed in the Nallakunta area of Hyderabad, where protesters resorted to vandalism. Demonstrators hurled cement blocks at an open Bajaj showroom and the Raghavendra Tiffin Centre, shattering glass windows. BC activists also targeted a petrol station that remained operational, damaging fuel dispensing equipment. Police teams rushed to the spot and restored order.