Kosala State Demand: 12-hr bandh cripples life in Balangir, Subarnapur

KalingaTV News Network

Balangir: Normal life came to a grinding halt in Balangir and Subarnapur districts in the state today following a dawn-to-dusk bandh call given by Kosala Coordination Committee in demand of a separate state.

While schools, colleges and all other educational institutions remained closed during the bandh, business establishments also kept their shutters down. Buses remained off the roads in view of the protests by bandh supporters, hitting commuters hard.

Bandh supporters staged road blockades at different places by burning tyres and resorted to picketing.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also extended its support to the bandh and its members took part in the bandh observation.

The Kosala Coordination Committee is demanding a separate Kosala State which would be carved out from Odisha by comprising 11 Western districts.

“We are demanding a separate Kosala State as per the Constitutional provision for it under Articles 2 and 2, for last 20 years. A bandh is being observed in all parliament constituencies of Balangir and Subarnapur districts today. The bandh is receiving overwhelming and unprecedented support from people even at the village level”, said Pramod Kumar Mishra, Coordinator, Kosala Coordination Committee.