BJD 'neither supporting nor opposing' Bharat Bandh, but schools in Odisha to remain closed

Bhubaneswar, Sep 9: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday said they are against the sharp hike fuel prices, but the party would 'neither support nor oppose' the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress party om September 10 (Tommorrow).

Several political parties such as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have declared that they would join the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress party.

BJD spokesperson Sashmit Patra

"The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been fighting against the price rise of petrol and deisel in the country and it is not for the first time that the country has seen such hike in fuel price. We are neither supporting nor opposing the BharatBandh," BJD spekesperson Sasmit Patra told ANI.

"Congress which was sleeping for the last 4.5 years has suddenly woken up. Why has it woken up now? To ensure safety and security of children all schools in the state will remain closed," he added.

(Image credit - ANI/Twitter)

Raj Thackeray

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, has extended its support to the Bharat Bandh, called by the Congress party on Monday, September 10, over continuous rise in petrol and diesel prices. Releasing a statement in this regard on Sunday, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said that the common man is in anguish as the prices of petrol and diesel have sky rocketed. "The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena extends its full support to the bandh and will actively participate in it," said Thackeray.

TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

The Trinamool Congress has refused to extend its support to Bharat Bandh. The Trinamool Congress said that it did support the issues on which the bandh has been called, it was against a strike and would take all measures to ensure that public services remained functional in West Bengal during the Bharat Bandh.

Trinamool Congress general secretary Partha Chatterjee

Trinamool Congress general secretary Partha Chatterjee said that the government was against causing any inconvenience to people because of the strike. It, however, added that the though the party would not be a part of the bandh, it would hold protests on the issues across the state.

Normal life is likely to be affected due to the day long Bharat Bandh on Monday. The bandh call was given by an alliance of the opposition parties and trade unions in protest against the rising prices of petroleum products.