A type of protest mobilisation commonly used in India. A bandh
is a combination of a strike and a shutdown/blockade.
Participants refrain from economic activity and usually set up
roadblocks to "enforce" the bandh and as a kind of rally. Bandhs
may be called by any kind of organisation, not only trade unions
or work-related groups - for instance, political parties, human
rights groups, campaigning groups, women's groups, youth groups,
etc, often call bandhs to protest various issues. They are
usually regional rather than sectoral. Bandhs vary in duration
from hour-long shutdowns to "indefinite" bandhs which can go on
for months. In support of a three-day bandh called by a
coalition of 32 groups calling for repeal of anti-terrorism laws
which have led to human rights violations, protesters shut down
most of central Imphal. Women and youths blocked roads with logs
and burning tyres before being lathi-charged by police. Accusing
the local government of corruption, Congress supporters observed
a four-hour bandh y