Normal life hit in Kerala hartal

Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 (UNI) The state-wide hartal called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to protest against the petrol and diesel price hike crippled normal life in Kerala today but it passed off peacefully.

Educational institutions, shops and business establishments across the state remained closed in the dawn to dusk hartal, which was near total. Attendance in most offices, including government establishments, was reported to be low.

Barring two wheelers and private vehicles, public transport remained off the roads with the exception of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation running a few buses in convoy.

There were no reports of Air services and Railways being affected.

No untoward incident was reported from any place. The BJP activists also held protest marches in various districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Thrissur.

The BJP called for the hartal against the petrol and diesel price hike.

The party had also blamed the state government and asked it to reduce the sales tax on petrol and diesel which could decrease the price.

UNI PN VV MSJ ND1948