S.R. Bhaumik,
Chanditala Lane

I feel, we the Calcuttans have an important role in defying bandhs. We should muster up courage to raise our voice against meaningless and unnecessary bandhs and defying them unitedly irrespective of political affiliations or views. Most people bear with bandhs out of fear. People should raise their voice against this nuisance with the help of the media. Other than bandhs frequent disruptions and road blockades should also be resisted.

Ishita Bhattacharya,
Hooghly

The bandhs have created a menace in the city. It seems people have to come forward to stop them. Even if we do protest, we will be stopped by the bandh supporters or we will be unable to manage transport to reach our destination. We should try to form some sort of bandh protest clubs and recruit members via e-mail sms or orkut community. After gaining enough strength we can even contact the media and convey our thoughts and ask for their help.

S.K. Roy,
Chandernagore

A section of Calcuttans enjoy bandhs as holiday while daily bread earners compensate for that. Right and left party workers remain obsessed with their political compulsion while students, sick persons, examinees and passengers lose valuable time.

Raj Bagri,
Ho-Chi-Minh Sarani

We had bandh for two consecutive days in our state sponsored by political parties against the price hike in petroleum products. But did the bandhs serve the purpose they were called for? They did not. The parties calling the bandhs knew before hand that they would be useless. But that did not stop them from causing inconvenience to all. The price hike was made by the UPA government. Left Front could have easily stopped the hike by withdrawing support. But the Left supported the government ignoring the interest of “already inflation affected people”.

A.B. Anand,
Address not mentioned

Are we running a state or a party of goondas? The entire state was paralysed for two days. Did the parties take a vote on whether the citizens want such bandhs? Shame on all the politicians who work for themselves and not for the interest of the state.

Atri Bose,
Saltlake

There is nothing that the people of Calcutta can do to defy bandhs.They become mere victims at the hands of the selfish politicians and can do nothing but spend another holiday in the form of bandhs.

Amaresh Paul,
Bandel Hooghly

The people of Calcutta should form an anti-bandh forum first. Everyone in this forum should defy bandhs in all respect. Before doing this, they have to impart knowledge to the common people regarding the demerits of bandhs and how it effects the nation’s socio-economic activities. An encounter with the bandh supporters may also be inevitable and that has to be tackled also.

Kshama Agarwal,
Girish Park

Nothing can be done to stop bandhs. We are mere puppets in the hands of the political parties, be it ruling or otherwise. They can only add troubles common man’s life. The statistics of the financial losses incurred by the state during bandhs should wake up the political parties, but it does not happen. Until the center and at the state, realises the common man’s problem we can only watch the political gimmick being played in the name of aam aadmi and wait for the next bandh.

A.S.Mehta,
New Alipore

People of Calcutta should ensure political bigwigs also taste their own medicine. They should be forced to stand along with stranded passengers at Howrah and Sealdah stations without food and water or be stranded at the airport, especially when the arrival lounge is full of sewerage water. This action would deter them from calling futile bandhs.

Kushal Kanodia,
Vivekanand Road

I don’t think the people of Calcutta can do much to defy bandhs. Some are helpless because of poverty, and some just don’t want to get into these matters and rightly so because it’s of no use. At the end of the day they would be suffering because of political pressure. Calling a bandh is so easy in Bengal. Bandh supporters block roads, damage buses and create trouble for people without knowing why the bandhs were called or what effects it would have on the common man. So let’s just sit on the sofa, watch Shah Rukh Khan make money and enjoy rice with Chingri Maacher Jhol.

C. Bhowmick,
Kaikhali

The best way to defy the bandhs is to simply ignore it. We should try to carry on with our daily routine braving all odds. If we can stretch ourselves to that extent, then our politicians will think twice before calling a bandh whimsically.

A.K. Bhowmick,
Golders’ Green Apartment

Whatever aversion we have for bandhs, we have to stomach it willingly or unwillingly by sitting indoors since all connectivity gets paralysed. Whether people like bandhs or not can be judged if a ruling party or a party in opposition calls a bandh but shows the moral strength to allow people to participate or defy it freely by keeping all services normal like other days.

Indranil Sanyal,
Dhakuria

Mass protest is the need of the hour. If the people join hands to go to workplaces on a bandh day, no political party will dare disrupt their activities. There is another alternative though. The court may issue a circular that a political party will be banned from contesting elections, if it opts in favour of calling bandhs.

P. Chakraborty,
Virginia, US

The people of Calcutta can volunteer to work, be it in industry, in business, in educational institutions or any field of their work, on the next weekly holiday. It will largely compensate for the loss on the bandh day. The heads of institutes and business enterprises should accept their offer.

Pritha Gupta,
Paikpara Row

The media can play the biggest role in defying bandhs by not reporting the news of bandh to the general public. Unaware of bandhs, people will treat it as a normal working day. Moreover, people should stop treating bandhs as holidays and should make an effort to reach schools, colleges and work places. Unitedly if every citizen rises up to the occasion and makes it a point to defy bandhs, it will be a guaranteed success.

Kajal Chatterjee,
Sodepur

In order to defy bandhs people should make an all out effort to reach their offices even if minimal transport is available. Secondly, all business establishments should try to remain open and unitedly resist bandh enforcers. Thirdly, people should make it known to the politicians that the party which calls bandhs will be boycotted in the upcoming polls.

Nikhilesh Pathak,
Sodepur

Politicians of Bengal call bandhs in the name of the people but they rarely take their consent. People should destroy the trend by choosing to go to work specially whenever a bandh is called. The time has come to show that Bengalis have no business with bandhs.

Sukumar Ghosh,
Mukundapur

A non-political people’s forum should be formed by Calcuttans which would face the bandh supporters under any political banner. Since the forum will not have any political backing, the members would have to be immensely courageous. They should compel the bandh supporters and businessmen to keep open stores and transport so that needy people like day labourers can earn their day’s bread. Political problems should be solved discussions rather than bandhs.

S. Bonnerjee,
Salt Lake

It is high time Calcuttans understand that bandhs are of no use. They should in fact form a ‘Defy Bandh’ forum in every locality. All the residents of the area should be members and they should try to motivate others to lead normal lives during bandhs. Bandhs cannot be successful if the politicians do not get any support.