New Delhi, Sep 10: Normal life was hit in some states on Monday with offices and educational institutes closed and vehicles off the roads during an opposition-led 'Bharat Bandh' which was largely peaceful, barring some incidents of violence.
A three-year-old girl died in Bihar's Jehanabad district which the BJP alleged was due to delay in find a vehicle to take her to the hospital. Train services were affected in Odisha.
In states like Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh life was hit by the shutdown, but Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Mizoram remained largely unaffected. In Bhubaneswar, Congress workers staged a road blockade disrupting movement of vehicles on the national highway. Bandh supporters also locked the ticket counter of the Sun Temple. In Kerala, the hartal hit normal life. Both public and private transport buses and autorickshaws kept off the roads. Amid Opposition's call for a pan-India shutdown to protest against the rising fuel rates, petrol and diesel prices set new records for the fifth consecutive day in New Delhi and Mumbai on Monday.
In West Bengal, normal life largely remained unaffected by the shutdown. The ruling Trinamool Congress had opposed the bandh but organised a rally against spiralling prices of petroleum products.
In Odisha, train services were hit as bandh supporters squatted on tracks at many places during the bandh duration. At least 10 trains were cancelled and several others regulated in the jurisdiction of the East Coast Railway, an ECoR official said. Vehicular movement too was hit across the state as Congress workers resorted to road blockade and burnt tyres in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur and Khurda.
In Congress-ruled Mizoram, the shutdown had no impact. Incidents of arson, vandalism and disruption of rail and road traffic were reported from Bihar during the 'Bharat Bandh'.
"608 people were detained and released subsequently today, 6 people were arrested, 8 cases were registered at various police stations. No serious incidents have been reported," says Mumbai police PRO.
"The Bharat Bandh was peaceful in the state, 110-115 people have been arrested. The numbers can rise. In Ujjain, Katni and Jabalpur there had been some incidents for which cases have been registered," says Madhya Pradesh's IG Law and Order Makrand Deuskar.
"People willingly participated in Bharat Bandh against the govt & taught them a lesson. At least now, govt should reduce prices and mend its way. But they are not worried at all. So, we all need to save democracy. It is in danger," says Gehlot.
"Today’s Bharat Bandh has been successful across the country. Congress party has never held Bharat Bandh before, we do not even believe in Bharat Bandh, but since the time Modi govt has come there has been a situation that led to this," says senior Congress Ashok Gehlot.
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu announces a reduction in petrol and diesel price by Rs 2 each, in the state.
While the MP Congress called the shutdown successful, the ruling BJP accused the former of adopting "anarchic" ways to intimidate people to enforce the bandh.
Rajasthan minister Rajkumar Rinwa said that the public should reduce its expenses in order to tackle the fuel price rise.
"The government is trying. Fuel prices in India are driven by the prices of crude oil in the world market. There is so much expenditure, floods all over, and consumption. The public doesn't understand that if the prices of crude oil increases, they should reduce their expenses," he said.
In Arunachal Pradesh, at least 100 Congress activists including Mahila Congress workers, Youth Congress president Geli Ete and Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) secretary John Taksing were arrested by police, PTI repored. The protesters burnt tyres in many places in the state capital and in various other places to block roads, Superintendent of Police, Itanagar, M Harsh Vardhan said.
Meanwhile, bus services are expected to start returning to normalcy after 3 p.m., while airport buses will start plying from 4 p.m.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Sharad Pawar, during his address at Ramlila Maidan claims the BJP ignored Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he was alive. "When Atalji was alive, they (BJP) never remembered him. But now they are remembering him day and night," he says.
“We have been carrying the burden of Opposition leaders so far and we now want to see the strength of the Opposition. People’s interests are protected when Opposition parties perform [their duty] with efficiency,” the Sena said in the editorial.
Shiv Sena targetted opposition parties as well as its ally BJP on rising fuel prices.
BJP chief Amit Shah will be meeting Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid the nationwide shutdown called by Congress on Monday,
Former Congress minister Bismita Gogoi has been detained by police in Khumtai of Golaghat district in Assam.
Karnataka HC declines to hear a pending PIL relating to bandhs. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari said that series of orders have been passed on the issue since February 2.
The death of the child is not related to bandh or traffic jam, the relatives had left late from their home: SDO Jehanabad Paritosh Kumar on reports that a 2-year-old patient died after the vehicle was stuck in Bharat Bandh protests
Everyone has a right to protest but what is happening today? Petrol pumps and buses being set ablaze, putting to risk lives. A child died after an ambulance was stuck in the protests in Bihar's Jehanabad. Who is responsible?, asks Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
1984 riots accused Sajjan Kumar see during protests.
Left leaders at protest
A two-year-old girl died on Monday as the vehicle carrying her to Bihar's Jehanabad civil hospital got stuck in road blockade by bandh supporters, reports News 18.
Congress workers carry a motorcycle on a bullock cart during Bharat hBandh protests in Delhi's Preet Vihar.
BEST buses damaged in 14 incidents of stone pelting across Mumbai.
The BJP government is so proud of themselves that even today when the Opposition has called for a 'bandh' they have increased fuel price in some places. Government can even say that inflation will bring development: Former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav
Frustrated opposition doesn't have any strategy and leadership,what else can be expected from them? I hope God gives them sense so they can differentiate between positive & negative otherwise in future they will even lose their position as Oppn: UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
'Bharat' will not be 'bandh', it will keep moving and progressing. No one is paying heed to this call by Congress, their 'Mahagatbandhan' balloon will also burst soon: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
Good to see the Opposition standing united here fighting for a cause, and soon, together we will defeat, says the Congress chief.
PM Modi has built toilets across India, but there’s no water: Rahul's dig at Modi government.
Narendra Modi ji is silent, he has not spoken a word on rising prices of fuel, or condition of farmers, neither on atrocities against women, says Rahul.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi is addressing the gathering at Ramlila Maidan.
Congress workers vandalise a petrol pump in Ujjain during Bharat Bandh protests.
"Public is tired and angry; farmers are upset; youth is disturbed. There are no jobs," says Manmohan Singh.
MNS workers in Mumbai forcefully shut down shops and establishments at Bharatmata Junction Naka, Parel.
Modi government has done a number of things that were not in the interest of the nation. The time to change this government will come soon, says Manmohan Singh.
Loktantrik Janata Dal workers in Patna carry a motorbike on their shoulders to protest against fuel price hike.
Congress activists led by state chief Ashok Chavan, Mumbai chief Sanjay Nirupam attempted to stop trains at Andheri station. They were detained.
Jan Adhikar Party workers vandalise vehicles during #BharatBandh protest in Patna against fuel price hike.
"Fuel prices allowed to soar, by a callous govt, making lives of ordinary Indians impossible. Most appropriate that Modi photos are at all petrol stations. But People paying for the Rs 4343 cr spent on these farzi ads. Shameful," tweets CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
East Coast Railway Zone has cancelled 12 trains including Bhubaneswar-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express and Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam Inter City Express in backdrop of Bharat Bandh.
Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav choose to skip Cong's Ramlila stir.
The hartal observed in Kerala has turned into a total bandh with both the ruling and Opposition Congress-led fronts supporting the hartal.
Congress workers stage 'Rail Roko' at Andheri railway station against fuel price hike.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi joined Congress president Rahul Gandhi at Ramlila Maidan.
"The runaway prices of fuel and the free fall in the value of the Rupee shows that the Modi Govt has completely failed in managing the economy," tweets Congress.
Police appeal fuel stations to shut, to prevent untoward incidents during bandh in Bengaluru.
Transport services such as buses, trains, autos, and call- taxis are normal in Chennai.
School open in Kolkata amid Bharat Bandh call. West Bengal government has taken a slew of measures to maintain normal life in the backdrop of the bandh.
Security has been tightened in Jaipur over Bharat Bandh.
Hyderabad received a lukewarm response for the bandh against fuel price rise. RTC buses and autos are plying, schools and petrol pumps are open, shops are open and people are going to work as usual.
Several highways were blocked by Congress workers in Gujarat in view of the Bharat bandh.
Stone pelting incidents on BEST buses near Vashi naka and at Pratiksha Nagar bus depot, no one suffered injuries.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi and opposition party leaders march from Rajghat towards Ramlila Maidan, to protest against fuel price hike.
The Mamata Banerjee government has deployed 1,500 policemen in the state and 500 extra buses are plying on the roads.
Jan Adhikar Party Loktantrik workers block railway tracks in Patna's Rajendra Nagar Terminal railway station in support to Bharat Bandh.
Inter-state buses plying to Karnataka have been stopped in Hosur.
The Gwalior district administration has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in the district and more than 1,000 policemen have been deployed at different areas across the district.
The transport system in the Maharashtra capital will remain unaffected by the Bharat bandh on Monday.
Congress leaders including Ashok Gehlot, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Abhishek Manu Singhvi arrived earlier. Reports also suggested that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh will also join the stir later.
President Rahul Gandhi arrives at Rajghat to join bandh protest against fuel price hike.
Hundreds of passengers are stranded at Bhubaneswar's Baramunda bus stand.
Extra deployment of forces has been done across the city today. Firm action will be taken on any miscreants taking the law into their hands, tweets Commissioner Of Police, Pune City.
Amid Opposition’s call for a pan-India shutdown to protest against the rising fuel rates, petrol and diesel prices set new records for the fifth consecutive day in New Delhi and Mumbai on Monday.
CPI protests in Vijaywada
Indira Canteens open in Bengaluru. Shops around Majestic area shut.
Congress workers stage protest in Telangana
Major IT companies announce holiday in Bengaluru
Several passengers stranded at bus services to airport stopped
The bus services of North Eastern Karnataka are not operational today.
Metro services in Bengaluru on track. Not affected due to bandh
Buses ply normally as auto drivers in Bengaluru demand increased fare.
CPI(M) holds protests in Andhra Pradesh against fuel price hike.
In Odisha, Congress workers block a train in Samablpur.
The Shiv Sena has spurned Congress' request to participate in the Bharat Bandh called Monday by the latter against rising prices of petroleum products
Schools in Bengaluru to be shut
State buses will also remain off the roads as the KSRTC Staff and Workers Association has offered to support the bandh. Auto and taxi unions, however, are yet to take a call on the issue.
In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress unit asked people to help make the stir a success, even as Madhya Pradesh Petrol Pump Owners Association president Ajay Singh said fuel pumps would remain open on Monday.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party (SP) declared that it would support Monday’s Bharat Bandh along with the Rashtriya Lok Dal. However, the Bahujan Samaj Party has not made any statement yet.
VAT on petrol will be reduced from 30 to 26 per cent and on diesel from 22 to 18 per cent, chief minister Vasundhara Raje said on Sunday.
Petrol and diesel may soon become cheaper in Punjab and Karnataka, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajni Patil said on Sunday.
On the eve of the nationwide Bharat Bandh called by Congress, Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje announced a four percent reduction in value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel on Sunday, which will reduce their prices by Rs 2.5 per litre in the state.
The Congress wants petrol and diesel to be brought under the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which would decrease the price "by Rs 15-18 per litre". It also wants an immediate reduction in central excise duty and "excessive VAT" in states.
Exams scheduled for September 10 have also been postponed. Many schools have, instead, announced working on Saturday, September 15 to conpensate for the holidate due to Bharat Bandh on Monday.
Government of Karnataka has officially announced holiday for all schools and colleges in Bengaluru.
Parties like the RJD, JD(S), JVM and JMM have also lent their support to the call for bandh.
Trinamool Congress will organise street protests but would not enforce a shutdown in West Bengal.
The Bharat Bandh will be observed in several states like Maharashtra, Bihar Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, where regional opposition parties have come in support of the bandh call.
Opposition parties have called for a Bharat Bandh on September 10, Monday to protest against the rising prices of petrol and diesel and issues that affects common man.
Bharat bandh over rising fuel prices HIGHLIGHTS: