Odisha Bandh Disrupts State as NNKS Demands Minister’s Resignation
Bhubaneswar: Normal life across Odisha was thrown out of gear today as the Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) and Nabnirman Yuva Chhatra Sangathan (NYCS) enforced a 12‑hour bandh demanding the resignation of School & Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond.
The bandh, which lasted from 6 am to 6 pm, was triggered by widespread outrage over more than 1,700 errors detected in newly published textbooks for Classes I–VIII.
Protesters alleged that the blunders included factual inaccuracies, misattributed landmarks, and printing mistakes, undermining the credibility of the education system.
Vehicular movement came to a standstill in several districts, with activists blocking highways, burning tyres, and raising slogans near Bhubaneswar’s Baramunda bus stand.
Shops, markets, and private institutions remained closed, while bus services were severely affected. Emergency services, however, were exempted from the shutdown.
District administrations were placed on high alert, and 10 platoons of police were deployed in Bhubaneswar to prevent untoward incidents. Authorities ensured government offices functioned normally despite the disruption.
NNKS leaders claimed the bandh received mass public support and warned of intensified agitation if accountability is not fixed and the minister does not step down.
