Sanand bandh call gets little response, OBC leader blames BJP

Gujarat OBC leader Alpesh Thakor's call for Sanand shutdown (bandh) to protest against the use of 'excessive' force by police during a farmers rally, received little response as most shops and establishments remained open.
Earlier yesterday, Thakor, who heads OBC-SC-ST (OSS) Ekta Manch, gave a call for shutdown for today against the alleged use of excessive force by police against farmers at their rally near Sanand.
Thakor alleged BJP-police nexus for failing his call.
"BJP goons along with police forced people to keep their shops and offices open despite our shutdown call. They created an atmosphere of fear in Sanand and tried their best to showcase that people have voluntarily kept their shops open, which is not true," alleged Thakor.

However, local police as well as BJP leaders claimed that the shutdown call met with "nil" success, as most shops and establishments remained open.
"Some people having political support gave a call for Sanand shudtdown, which met with nil success, as all the shops remained open. These people do not even know what are the problems of farmers and are still trying to take advantage of the situation," said local BJP leader Pradeepsinh Vaghela.

Meanwhile, five such OSS Ekta Manch members were briefly detained by police for trying to shut shops.
"Public and shopkeepers gave no response to the call given by Thakor. We have briefly detained five of his supporters for trying to shut shops. Daily life was not affected by the bandh call," said Sanand police inspector U B Dhakhda.

At least seven policemen, including District Superintendent R V Asari, were injured in stone pelting when cops tried to stop a farmers' rally near Sanand yesterday.
Congress along with Thakor and quota leader Hardik Patel had criticised the police action against farmers.