Bharat Bandh

As I walked to the Deccan Herald building this afternoon, I noticed the streets were significantly less-populated than usual.

Intersections which would normally be treacherous to traverse were now nearly empty, and the groups of men loitering outside local business were far fewer than previous days.

When I hit MG Road, an auto driver called out to me. Figuring it was the usual offer of a tour of the city or a trip to his friend's shops, I kept walking.
  
But this time, it was some advice: "Go home - everything's closed."
 
Sure enough, as I continued down MG Road, doors were indeed shut. Even at KFC. It wasn't just MG Road where businesses were closed, either. And it wasn't just Bangalore.
 
This was a bharat bandh - a traditional means of protest in which all non-essential services throughout the nation take the day off to display their displeasure at the government.
  
The National Democratic Alliance and other opposition parties called for today's shutdown to protest the recent hike in the price of diesel as well as foreign investment policies in the retail sector.

Schools were closed, most public transport - aside from the odd auto driver - ceased, and the typically bustling centre city of Bangalore was a comparative ghost town.

Though bandhs were banned in 1998 by the Supreme Court, political parties still use the extreme tool to make an effective statement.
 
Because of the ban, several opposition leaders were detained today, with the ruling Indian National Congress party perturbed by the civil disobedience and insistent the protests caused nothing but economic loss.

Bandh, a Hindi word for closed, may be part of the Indian culture but the concept is rather mind-boggling for a foreigner. It's like some sort of bizarro national holiday back in New Zealand, ruining lunch plans and shopping trips alike.

But, aside from the minor inconvenience, I found it meritorious a country of more than one billion people would shut up shop if the government was perceived to be stepping out of line.

I would love to see Labour and co attempt similar tactics in New Zealand next time National is playing up.

I doubt it would stop asset sales, but it would be fascinating to watch.