A candle-light protest rally organized by citizens on Monday has vowed to continue the on-going agitation demanding justice for social activist Rama Kankonkar till the “mastermind” is booked. The meeting attended by hundreds of protestors led by MLAs of a political party has reportedly resolved to organize a Goa bandh if their demands are not met. Interestingly social activists who are raising the issue have said that they are not very keen in calling for a Goa bandh. A call for Goa bandh will cause widespread economic loss, particularly affecting daily wage earners and small businesses, and disruption of essential services like transport, banking, and postal services. While bandhs can draw attention to critical issues and serve as a form of democratic dissent, it raises concerns of burden on vulnerable communities. If the bandh is not totally successful it could put a dent to the citizen movement. It could also lead to a law and order situation. There is also a risk of loss to public and private property during bandhs. The protestors need to exhaust all options before calling for a bandh.
