Mixed response to BJP's bandh's call

Shimla, May 2: The BJP's call for a state-wide bandh to protest against the rising prices of essential commodities drew a mixed response across Himachal Pradesh.

While the government offices, educational institutions, banks and emergency services remained unaffected, the shopkeepers downed their shutters in support of the one-day strike.

The strike was complete in the 12 district headquarters of the state where shops remained closed till 1400 hrs. However, the markets across the state opened after 1400 hrs.

The impact of the bandh was minimal in rural areas and in the areas outside the district headquarters where the shopkeepers kept the shops open because of the party's failure to inform them about the strike.

In Shimla, the main markets of The Mall and Lower Bazar remained closed till 1400 hrs before the businessmen returned to their shops, while there was no impact of the strike in Sanjauli and Boilueganj markets and in the periphery of the town.

However, government offices, educational institutions, banks and other emergency services functioned normally across the state and there was no report of any violence from any part of the state during the strike.

Reports of bandh being observed in other parts of the state were also received.

Meanwhile, state party president Jai Ram Thakur claimed that the bandh was a complete success in the state and thanked the businessmen and the shopkeepers for their complete support.

''The bandh was complete not only in the urban areas, but also in remote and rural areas of the state,'' he said in a press conference here.

The party had decided not to hold rallies and demonstrations and prevent movement of vehicles during the bandh and put the public to any inconvenience, he added.

UNI