Ranchi, Nov. 24: The BJP has called a daylong bandh tomorrow to protest against the police failure to arrest the killers of the party’s district vice-president, Om Prakash Upadhayay.

BJP district president Gama Singh announced the decision, taken today after a meeting at the party’s office at Basargarh in Hatia, and spelt out plans for tomorrow — party workers would hit the road to launch a campaign against the government highlighting the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

“Owners of all business establishments and heads of all educational institutions will be requested to suspend their programmes for the day. This apart, all sections of society will be urged to extend support to our bandh,” Singh said.

Marriages, examinations and medical services, however, would be exempted from the purview of the bandh. “Party workers will not stop buses carrying marriage parties or those appearing for exams. Medical services, milk supply and other emergency services will not be effected,” Singh said.

Bishops School Group, Sacred Heart Convent, Loreto Convent, St Xavier’s School and St Francis School will remain closed tomorrow. However, two of the DAV Group schools at Ashoknagar and Bariatu will remain open.

Ranchi MLA and chief whip of the BJP legislature party, C.P. Singh, promised to maintain peace during the bandh. “Party workers have been directed to maintain strict discipline on the road and have been properly instructed to carry out their agitation in a non-violent way as our party is not an organisation of extremists,” he said.

Upadhayay was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen on November 21 while he was returning on his motorbike to his party office near Subernarekha river in Hatia.

Senior police superintendent M.S. Bhatia, however, said that efforts were on to arrest the men responsible for killing of the BJP leader.

Likely Impact

HITS
Railway services to be disrupted, city transport may not be available, schools, colleges likely to stay shut, business establishments to down shutters

MISSES
Ambulance, milk vans, medicine shops, marriage party vehicles, buses with students going for exams, inter-state bus services