Title - : Bandh against diesel price hike, FDI in retail evokes mixed response

A bandh called by NDA, Left parties and Samajwadi Party to protest against diesel price hike, FDI in multi-brand retail and cap on subsidised LPG today evoked mixed response as protesters disrupted road and rail traffic in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha but it had little impact in Mumbai.

Delhi: In Delhi, most of the markets remained closed and vehicular movement was normal though protesters blocked the traffic at some places.

Shops in some areas like Bhogal, Laxmi Nagar, Defence Colony and South Extension in the Capital were open in the morning hours but though big markets like Khan Market, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash, Karol Bagh, Chandni Chowk and Kashmere Gate were shut.

Auto rickshaws plied in the city and the buses of state-run Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) were on the roads in large numbers. At New Delhi railway station, auto drivers staged a protest and refused to carry passengers.

However, most of the private schools in Delhi remained closed. BJP supporters blocked the vehicular movement on Vikas Marg.

A BJP spokesperson said the party will be staging protests at around 100 locations in the capital.

A senior Delhi Police official said a large number of personnel have been deployed. “We have ensured that every major road has police presence,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh: Samajwadi Party and BJP workers staged demonstrations and stopped trains at a number of places in Uttar Pradesh.

Protestors stopped trains in Mathura, Agra, Varanasi, Allahabad and Lucknow while BJP workers and traders blocked the Agra-Gwalior Highway by burning tyres.

Major markets remained closed at a number of places in UP, including in the state capital, official sources in Licknow.

Raising slogans against FDI in retail, a group of SP workers held a demonstration outside the Walmart store at Sultanpur in Lucknow. The party also protested outside Divisional Railway Manager’s office in Hazratganj.

Mumbai: The bandh evoked little response in Mumbai owing to Ganesh festivities across Maharashtra. Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have kept away from the day-long bandh due to the festival.

The nationwide bandh called by the BJP-led NDA and other Opposition parties to protest diesel price hike and FDI in retail evoked little response in the metropolis today owing to Ganesh festivities across Maharashtra.

The Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have kept away from the day-long bandh due to the festival.

BJP leaders including Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Vinod Tawade will take to the streets later in the day to oppose the Government’s new reform measures.

Last week, the government had hiked diesel prices by Rs 5 per litre, capped the supply of subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders to six per household and cleared 51 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.

Taxis, auto rickshaws and BEST buses were seen plying on the roads since morning even though few have stayed away fearing violence. Trains are also running on schedule both on Central and Western line.

Commercial establishments and markets in the city are expected to open later in the day. The immersion of Ganesh idols across the state will take place this evening.

Police have stepped up bandobast in the city and suburbs to ward off any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, apex transporters’ body All India Motor Transport Congress is also on a 24-hour token strike against diesel price hike, demanding a rollback.

“All the trucks are off the roads since midnight and the strike is complete,” claimed AIMTC President Malkit Singh.

Of the 75 lakh trucks across the country, Maharashtra alone accounts for 23 lakh.

Bihar: The Opposition-sponsored Bharat bandh against FDI in multi-brand retail and diesel price hike began this morning with protestors disrupting road and train services across Bihar.

A group of BJP workers blocked the rail traffic at Patna junction and stopped the movement of a number of long-distance express and passenger trains, official sources said.

The protesters shouted slogans against the UPA Government at the Centre demanding rollback of FDI in multi-brand retail and diesel price hike.

There were reports of road blockade and disruption in train services from several districts from Bihar, the sources said.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made and a large number of policemen deployed on the street in Patna and other parts of the state, they said.

There was no (no) report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the state.

Tamil Nadu: The bandh called by NDA and Left parties today against the Centre’s decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail and hike in diesel prices evoked a mixed response in Tamil Nadu.

No untoward incident was reported so far from across the state and the protest was peaceful, police said.

Government-run buses were on the road. However, autos affiliated to Left unions kept off the road even as a large number of commercial establishments and shops downed their shutters to join the protest.

Schools and educational institutions remained open today and it was business as usual with government departments.

The strike had little impact on airport operations as morning flights, both international and domestic numbering around 51 (till 10 am), departed and arrived on time.

A majority of the 3,000-odd vegetable shops at the Koyambedu wholesale market remained closed, a representative of the vendors’ association said.

DMK, a key constituent in the Congress-led UPA coalition at the Centre, had expressed its support with its labour wing, Labour Progressive Front, participating in today’s protest.

Party chief M. Karunanidhi had blamed the Centre for further burdening the common man, who was already reeling under the impact of hike in power tariff, bus fares and milk prices effected by the Jayalalithaa Government.

He had asked his party members to extend “full co-operation” for the protest in a “peaceful” and “successful manner“.

Meanwhile, a report from Puducherry said the bandh was near total in the Union Territory.

While private buses and autos went off the roads, government-run buses operated under convoy system. All shops and business establishments remained closed.

Government schools functioned with less attendance of students and private schools remained closed. Attendance in government offices was normal, official sources said.

Bhubaneswar: Normal life was disrupted in Orissa, barring the western region, due to disruption in train and road traffic during a bandh called by the BJP and Left parties to protest diesel price hike, FDI in multi-brand retail and ceiling on subsidised LPG.

State Government offices, banks and insurance offices remained closed on the occasion of ‘Nuakhai’.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutions remained closed due to the festival celebrated with gaiety in western districts including Sambalpur, Bolangir, Bargarh, Sonepur, Jharsuguda and Deogarh.

Describing the bandh being observed as part of a country-wide programme as a success, BJP state President Jual Oram said, “We have decided to exclude all activities related to Nuakhai festival from the purview of bandh.”

Over a dozen trains were stopped at several railway stations including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Khurda Road, Bhadrak, Balasore and Berhampur as bandh supporters staged dharna on the tracks, an official of East Coast Railway (ECoR) said.

Vehicular movement was disrupted in many parts of the State as passenger buses, trucks and auto-rickshaws remained off the roads, police sources said.

A large number of passengers were seen stranded at railway stations and bus stands at many places, while roads wore a deserted look during the shut-down.

City bus services in many places including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri were suspended.

In Bhubaneswar, supporters of the BJP and Left parties staged blocked roads and picketed separately at different places in a bid to enforce the bandh called by them.

Shops, business establishments and commercial centres downed their shutters in major areas including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Balasore, Baripada, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur and Puri.

Elaborate security arrangements were made by the police with heavy deployment of force throughout the State to prevent any untoward incident during the shut-down.

“The situation is peaceful and no untoward incident has been reported from any place. We are keeping a close vigil,” a senior police official said.

Imphal: Normal life was affected in Manipur due to the 12-hour general strike called by the BJP and Left parties against the diesel price hike, FDI in multi-brand retail and ceiling on subsidised LPG.

Markets, business establishments, educational institutions and entertainment houses remained closed while attendance in Government offices was almost nil, reports said.

Buses, taxis and private vehicles were off the roads as also transport services between Manipur and the neighbouring States, the reports said.

The strike also affected normal life at all the district headquarters.

Security measures were in place at all vulnerable areas in the State capital complex.

Shillong: BJP activists were today detained in Meghalaya when they tried to force shopkeepers to close the shutters in view of a bandh called by them to protest FDI in multi-brand retail and diesel price hike.

BJP general secretary Dipayan Chakraborty along with 26 party volunteers were picked up by the police while forcing shopkeepers to down shutters and forcing public transport vehicles off the roads, East Khasi Hills deputy Commissioner, Sanjay Goyal said.

Banks, markets, shops and educational institutions were closed, with government offices recording low attendance, reports said.

Government transport vehicles and a few taxis were on the roads.

The bandh was being supported by the opposition National People’s Party and the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People.

Punjab, Haryana: Normal life was disrupted in Punjab and Haryana due to a bandh called by several political parties, including NDA, to protest against FDI in multi-brand retail and diesel price hike.

Public transport services were hit with state transport undertakings suspending their long-route services to Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh as a precautionary measure.

“We have suspended our inter-state bus services from 8 AM onwards in order to prevent any damage during protests. However, city bus services are operational,” a senior official of Chandigarh Transport Department said here today.

However, a senior official of Haryana Transport Department said: “Transport services in Haryana were absolutely normal so far,” adding that bus services to Punjab have been suspended.

Many private schools in Chandigarh were closed today in the wake of bandh call. However, shops and commercial establishments in Chandigarh were functional.

Railway services in Punjab were normal, DRM of Ferozepur Division N.C. Goel said.

Flights to various destinations from here operated on schedule. However, truckers remained off the road on the call given by All India Motor Transport Congress against diesel rate hike.

“Trucks are not operational today to protest the Rs 5 per litre diesel price hike,” North India Motor Road Transport President Charan Singh Lohara said.

The impact of bandh was visible in several places including Amritsar, Jalandhar, Batala, Ludhiana, Mahendergarh and Ambala where majority of trading establishments were closed.

Members of political parties in Punjab and Haryana, including BJP, SAD, and INLD, took out protest rallies and procession at several places including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amristar, Hisar, Jind, Bhiwani, Sirsa and Fatehabad to protest the Centre’s decision on FDI in multi-brand retail, diesel price hike and ceiling on LPG.

Goa: The NDA-led bandh against diesel price hike, FDI in retail and cap on subsidised LPG evoked a mixed response in Goa.

While markets remained partially closed, the private buses remained off roads since morning. Bus stands wore a deserted look.

With Ganesh Chaturthi, the biggest festival of the state, commencing yesterday, the people were seen buying commodities required for celebrations.

There was no untoward incident reported as the bandh was not forced either by NDA or Left parties.

The state-run Kadamba Transport Corporation Ltd was plying its buses on the regular routes.

Guwahati: The Bharat bandh called by the BJP and other Opposition parties to protest the diesel price hike, FDI in multi-brand retail and cap on subsidised LPG affected normal life in Assam.

Markets, shops, educational institutions, banks and private offices remained closed, while long-distance private buses and other vehicles were off the roads, officials said.

Though privately operated city buses did not ply, the Government-run ones were seen on the road with auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws ferrying passengers. Trains and air services also operated normally, they said.

Elaborate security arrangements were put in place with security personnel deployed on the city streets, highways, at vital installations and vulnerable areas across the state, they said.

All the state government offices, including transport and power, were functioning normally. The Government had issued a notification yesterday to ensure normal functioning and attendance in all Government offices and undertakings in the state in view of the nationwide bandh today.

The notification warned that the Government would resort to pay-cut, break in service and disciplinary action against employees who absent themselves from duties during the bandh period.

All heads of offices and departments were further instructed to deduct pay and allowances for unauthorised absence from offices and duties today and to initiate disciplinary action for such unauthorised absence.