On a typical Bandh day:
Four men were sitting around a table, with empty plates and glasses full of golden liquor lightly swirling in front of them. Enjoying their drinks on a rare weekday holiday, they regaled their tales of the Bandh, a general strike called mainly by a political organization or union for a protest on something.
Man number 1, " Why risk our lives and go to work?? Just bunked a day. Wouldn't matter much."
Man number 2, " My workplace didn't take the risk, they closed off."
Man number 3, " I didn't go because I support the cause of this agitation."
Man number 4, " I did start out to my office but was forced to come back due to mob violence and irregular public transportation."
Each nodded their head in support while sipping the liquor and enjoying the Bandh.
The Bandh unites us all albeit the age, sex, social status, or class. The bond of sudden happiness on getting an unexpected holiday in the middle of a busy week. No matter how much one protests that these general strikes should be called off, they cannot deny that their heart does flip hearing a Bandh being declared. The happiness of a sudden holiday unexpectedly breaking the monotony of a busy week always brings joy to our hearts, unless you have dire monetary transactions to be made that day.
One might criticize me for being so shallow and enjoying the Bandh, but I never saw any good come out of it. Since my birth, I have seen a lot of Bandhs take place in West Bengal and no good came out of it, except maybe the holiday. What amazes me is the ideology of disrupting a normal day and lives, to changes policies for the people's welfare is a total contradiction. How do you wish to bring welfare by stopping transportation, banks, and other necessary services of daily human lives?
One might criticize me for being so shallow and enjoying the Bandh, but I never saw any good come out of it. Since birth, I have seen a lot of Bandhs and no good came out of it, except maybe the holiday. What amazes me is the ideology of disrupting a normal day and lives to changes policies for the people's welfare. A total contradiction of sorts where disruption bring welfare ( I really wonder how). How do you wish to bring welfare by stopping transportation, bank and other necessary services of daily human lives?
Let's imagine a situation where a family wants to take a critically ill patient to the hospital for immediate treatment. They can't get a single public transport that would want to ferry them or any private car, as the owner doesn't want his car destroyed by the angry mob. Precious time is wasted while the person writhes in agony.
Bandh is just another holiday for me, unforeseen, but a holiday because I believe it will never do any good. What disturbs me is the ideology behind it. I like a holiday, but not at the cost of injured humans, vandalized vehicles, disruption of public transport, public services, and bringing our lives to a major standstill.
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