The Maharashtra bandh (shutdown) call by the three ruling parties of the states on Monday has had establishments react differently. Shops in many districts remain shut and the urban bodies-run local bus services remain unavailable. However, local train services are running uninterrupted in Mumbai. 

The shutdown has been called to protest against the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh ten days ago. 

“State transport services were uninterrupted in the morning, though there were fewer passengers on board,” an official said. “There is no official order given by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, but the decision will be taken by local district collectors if the operations are disrupted on roads,” an official from the corporation added. 

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A few of the auto and taxi unions have also kept shut their services in many leading cities such as Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan Dombivali in MMR. Shiv Sena workers blocked national and state highways at Kolhapur and Solapur in the morning following which some were detained by the police administration. 

The local train service in MMR was running in the morning.

“This is not a bandh called by the government, but by the ruling parties under Maha Vikas Aghadi (the ruling coalition). Whether to operate railway or BEST buses has to be decided by their administrations. We expect the people to participate in this on their own as it is in support of farmers and against the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre,” NCP leader and state minister Nawab Malik said on Sunday.

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Malik added, “We appeal to all workers to not create any issues for essential services such as hospitals, ambulance, medical stores and milk supply during the bandh.” 

The bandh has been opposed by the BJP and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). “We are not justifying the atrocities against the farmers, but our only question is why Shiv Sena and NCP parliamentarians did not oppose the farm bills when they were being passed. Police are asking shops and establishments to keep shut and this is the misuse of power by the ruling alliance,” said MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande.