Mumbaikars block BJP workers' buses

Mumbai: Angry Mumbaikars took to the streets in Bandra east to protest the inconvenience caused by buses and cars of BJP workers en route to the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) for the party’s foundation day celebrations, and even stopped some of the workers’ vehicles forcibly. The agitation was over the traffic jam and the delay in getting to work due to it.

An around 200-strong crowd stood in the middle of the road near Bandra station and started halting the buses. Many BJP workers were turning up at the Bandra Terminus and buses were kept ready near the station to ferry them to the venue of the rally at BKC. Commuters meanwhile grew irate as they had to wait for buses for nearly 30 to 40 minutes. Not only that, even after getting a bus or auto-rickshaw to ferry them to their offices at BKC, none of the vehicles were able to reach in time due to the traffic congestion created by the BJP workers’ vehicles. So much so, that the police had to intervene to bring some order into the situation.

Chandrakant Kamble, who was waiting for a BEST bus at Bandra station at 9.30 am and wanted to travel to Dharavi, said, “Why were there so many ‘reserved’ boards on these buses? Why were they not sending buses for the common public? Had BJP booked all the buses and commuters were being harassed in the bargain!”

Shubhangi Pawale, an incensed commuter, said, “On Thursday, they had a rally. It took two hours by road to reach Goregaon from Bandra. Hence, a day after on Friday, I took the train. And now all this happens… Why did they not plan the rally on Sunday!”