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Bandh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bandh, originally a Hindi word meaning 'closed', is a form of protest used by political activists in some countries in South Asia like India and Nepal. During a Bandh, a large chunk of a community declares a general strike, usually lasting one day. While often it means the closing down of a major marketplace of a city for the day, there have been instances of entire Metros coming to a standstill.
Bandhs are powerful means for Civil disobedience. Because of the huge impact that a Bandh has on the local community, it is much feared as a tool of protest.
Bandhs have been criticized because of the disruption of everyday life caused by them. The Supreme Court of India has banned bandhs, but political parties still organize them. In 2004, the Supreme Court of India fined two political parties, BJP and Shiv Sena for organizing a bandh in Mumbai as a protest against bomb blasts in the city.
A bandh is not the same as a Hartal, which simply means a strike.