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New Delhi/Mumbai/Chennai/
Thiruvananthapuram/Patna:
The 12-hour "`Bharat Bandh" called by the National Democratic
Alliance and the Left Parties have cripped normal life in many parts
of the country, even as the bandh evoked a lukewarm response in
Tamil Nadu today.
BJP activists today blocked traffic, Metro and suburban rail
services in some parts of the capital as part of the Bharat Bandh
called by opposition parties to protest against fuel price hike.
BJP workers blocked traffic at Laxmi Nagar, ITO, Preet Vihar,
Akshardham and Madhuban Chowk among other areas at around 9 am.
Some BJP workers also stopped a Metro train at Karol Bagh station, a
party leader said. Trains were also stopped by protestors at Nangloi,
Shakur Basti and Badli railway stations.
In Preet Vihar, some BJP activists got into a scuffle with police
during the protest.
“We were trying to remove the blockades. The bandh supporters in
that area wanted all of them to be arrested and they entered into a
scuffle with us,” a senior police official said.
Bandh supporters took out protest march in several parts of the
capital.
A senior police official said Delhi Police has taken adequate
security measures to ensure law and order during the protest.
“Policemen are on streets to ensure that no untoward incident takes
place,” the official said.
Airport officials said flight operations were not affected by the
bandh.
'Disturbance in Maharashtra'
Senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya along with many party workers was
detained here today when they were staging a rail blockade even as
bandh supporters indulged in stone pelting at several places and
damaged 12 buses in Pune to enforce the nationwide strike called by
the opposition NDA and Left parties to protest fuel price hike.
The BJP workers were detained at Mulund station here when they were
staging the rail roko.
Minor incidents of stone pelting on local trains were reported from
suburban Borivali and Kandivali in response to the bandh.
In Pune, 12 city buses were damaged by activists trying to enforce
the bandh.
The buses plying in Kothrud and Pimpri area were stopped and stoned,
damaging window panes, a spokesman of the Pune municipal corporation
said.
In view of the bandh, very few people ventured out in the early
hours and several educational institutions in Mumbai were closed.
Authorities have deployed about 40,000 police personnel on the
streets of Mumbai to avert any incidence of violence.
Opposition parties, which have called for the bandh, have described
the hike in petroleum products as “unjustified” and demanded a
rollback.
Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, MNS and other smaller non-Congress-NCP
parties in Maharashtra are supporting the bandh called by the NDA
and Left parties.
BJP State unit president Sudhir Mungattiwar will lead the protests
in Mumbai while Leader of opposition in the legislative assembly
Eknath Khadse will be in Pune. Leader of opposition in the
Legislative council Pandurang Phundkar will take part in the
protests at Aurangabad.
The state government has said that adequate security personnel have
been stationed at railway stations, bus stops airports and important
roads.
“I appeal people to come out. We have taken all security measures to
ensure no untoward incident takes place.
Anyone who takes law into their hands and attempts to paralyse the
city shall be dealt with strictly,” warned Mumbai Police
Commissioner Sanjeev Dayal.
In Mumbai, additional BEST buses will be plying on the roads while
elsewhere in the state, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation
(MSRTC) buses will be pressed into service.
The government has said that additional bus services will be pressed
into service from airports and important railway stations for the
benefit of passengers who arrive in the city from long distant
trains.
As the suburban trains are likely to be targeted by protestors
supporting bandh, adequate number of railway policemen would be
deployed at stations for smooth functioning of railway service,
police said.
“We have asked our staff to be on high alert,” said a Western
Railways spokesperson, adding that “motormen will also be guarded by
security men as the protestors may target them to derail train
services.”
Essential services like water, milk, electricity and hospitals have
been excluded from the bandh.
'Tamil Nadu cool'
The nation-wide bandh called by the Opposition NDA and the Left
against the fuel price hike evoked a lukewarm response in Tamil Nadu
today.
Public transport, educational institutions, the banking sector and
other business establishments functioned normally as the bandh,
supported by the state’s main opposition party AIADMK and its
allies, did not affect normal life, police said.
Rail services were not affected till 0900 hours.
“All trains coming to the city were on time,” railway sources said.
However, four Kolkata—bound flights were cancelled following the
strike in Left—ruled West Bengal, airport sources said, adding
flights to other cities remained unaffected.
Security has been stepped up at important places like railway
stations, power units, high court premises and telephone exchanges,
police said.
The state government has warned of stringent action against those
indulging in violence and damaging public property.
District authorities said they have taken steps for smooth supply of
commodities and maintenance of essential services. Only a few shops
were seen closed as traders’ bodies have not supported the bandh. A
section of autorickshaws, owing allegiance to some Left unions, kept
off the roads.
'Kerala
jammed'
Normal life was disrupted in Kerala today due to the nation—wide
strike called by the NDA and Left parties to protest hike in fuel
prices.
This is the second shut—down being observed by the state over the
same issue in a span of 10 days.
Shops remained closed and buses, taxis and autorickshaws kept off
the roads throughout the state, seriously affecting the mobility of
people.
Police said no violence was reported from anywhere.
The ruling LDF had observed a day-long hartal on June 26 against
increase in prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG
'Train services in Bihar affected'
Train and road services were severely hit as the
nation—wide strike called by the NDA to protest the fuel price hike
began in Bihar today.
Several long distance and passenger trains were detained at
different stations in Bihar following the agitation, East Central
Railway (ECR) Chief Public Relations Officer, Dilip Kumar said.
The Rajgir—Danapur passenger train was detained at Karahdhi, Hatia—Patna
express at Jehanabad, Gaya—Patna passenger train at Islampur besides
over 10 mail express trains were detained at Sasaram, Vikarmganj,
Dholi, Narahan, Motihari, Sitamarhi and Jainagar railway stations in
Bihar by the agitators, Kumar said.
Private operators suspended their bus services for the day because
of the bandh.
All private schools, colleges and other educational institutions
were closed. Shops and major business establishments downed their
shutters in most of the markets in Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya,
Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Chapra and Gopalganj.
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