Opposition gets set to shut down India

AP

New Delhi, 05 July 2010: The Left and non-Congress parties have called for a 12-hour Bharat Bandh on Monday to protest against the hike in fuel prices but the government has ruled out reconsidering at its decision.

Normal life is likely to be affected throughout the country though the Opposition parties have promised essential services like milk, water, hospitals will not be forced to shut down.

But road transport may suffer. In Delhi, many school and chartered buses will not run as protestors are planning to block roads. Also, with many traders’ associations supporting the bandh, shops and markets, are also likely to remain closed - including many major markets in Delhi.

Also, joining the bandh, as many as 62 lakh trucks and other vehicles deployed in India’s road transport sector will be off the roads Monday in support of the nationwide shutdown to protest against rising prices and the fuel price hike, a truckers’ organisation said.

The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) termed as "unjustified" the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel.

"It has not only affected the road transport fraternity but also the common man of the country too," said AIMTC president G.R. Shanmugappa in a statement.

In Mumbai, security is being provided to buses and suburban trains. Mumbaikars will probably have to pack their own lunches, as dabbawallas too have joined the strike.

Scores of alleged BJP and Shiv Sena workers allegedly attacked buses and autorickshaws early on Monday morning. Mumbai Police has detained several Shiv Sainiks and sent notices to the BJP and Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena (MNS) leaders on Saturday.

Several video cameras have been installed at prominent locations to keep a watch on protesters.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has appealed all the ‘Mantralaya’ employees to report to work at night to avoid inconvenience.

The neighbouring BJP-ruled Gujarat is going all out to ensure the success of the Monday shutdown call as part of the party’s national programme to protest rising prices and the fuel price hike. Already party workers have fanned out asking educational institutions to stay closed and even corporate entities have been discreetly told to stay shut.

Many schools and colleges across several states have decided to remain closed due to the bandh.

Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are states which are most likely to be affected by the band as they are ruled by the Opposition.

Opposition parties in other states like Tamil Nadu, UP and Andhra are also supporting the bandh.

Most of Opposition parties, excluding RJD, BSP, LJP and RLD, are participating in the nation-wide strike.

The participating parties are the BJP, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, JD-U, CPI-M, CPI, Forward Block, RSP, AIADMK, MDMK TDP, BJD, JD(S), AGP, Akali Dal and INLD.

On June 25, a ministerial panel, headed by Mukherjee, had lifted the pricing controls on petroleum. As a result, petrol went up by Rs 3.50 a litre. The government hiked the prices of diesel by Rs 2 a litre, kerosene - known as the poor man’s fuel and traditionally spared during periodic fuel price hikes - by Rs 3 a litre and cooking gas by Rs 35 per cylinder.