Bandh evokes partial response in West Bengal

The 12-hour bandh call by the BJP-led NDA protesting the hike in petrol prices partially affected life across the city and the state this morning.

People with BJP flags were seen blocking all major thoroughfares in the city and in some districts of the state.

While the bandh supporters had initial success in different parts of the state, police were quick to move in to disperse them. Life seemed to return to normal later in the day.

Most of the shops in the city remained closed during the morning hours but later as the day progressed, the shops were opened up. Howrah, being a BJP stronghold, saw a majority of shops remaining closed.

Although the State Government-run buses were plying, private buses were few in number. There, were however, some stray incidents in the fringe areas of Kolkata where the bandh supporters damaged private buses that were plying.

Several bandh supporters were arrested for blocking major thoroughfares in the city. Some officegoers were seen walking long distances for their workplaces from Howrah and Sealdah stations in the city.

PTI reports:

Normal life hit in Karnataka

Bangalore: The bandh called by NDA and Left parties today to protest the steep hike in petrol prices disrupted normal life in parts of BJP-ruled Karnataka where the bandh supporters set on fire three buses and stoned about a dozen others forcing authorities to withdraw bus services in the city.

According to initial reports received here, the bandh evoked good response in several districts. Public transport was hit and shops and business establishments remained shut in several parts of the state.

Holiday has been declared for schools and colleges today in view of the bandh.

In stray incidents of violence targeting state-run buses, some persons torched three Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses in the small hours and stoned about a dozen forcing the authorities to withdraw bus services.

While a bus was set on fire on Roopena Agrahara, two others were torched in K.R. Puram and fire force rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire, police said.

In the wake of stray incidents of stone pelting, BMTC suspended city bus services till this evening.

As a precaution, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) also suspended services in some districts such as Kolar, Ramangara, Chikkaballapur, Hubli-Dharwad and Hassan.

BEST buses pelted with stones in Mumbai

Mumbai: Bandh supporters pelted stones at buses in two suburban areas of the city, Pune, Nagpur and Thane district.

They also stopped some buses by blocking roads in Satara district of Western Maharashtra as the Bharat Bandh called by NDA to protest the petrol price hike began today.

In the financial capital, BEST buses were pelted with stones in suburban Mulund and Dadar.

BJP activists staged noisy protests outside Borivali station, at S V Road in Kandivali and also in suburban Chembur.

Local trains and buses were plying as usual in most parts of the city. However, transport was hit in Mulund, Dadar, Worli and Currey Road areas due stone pelting on BEST buses.

The Eastern Expressway, the arterial road which connects suburbs to Mumbai, saw less traffic than usual as some of the officegoers preferred to stay home in view of the bandh.

Taxis and autorickaws were plying normally. However, leaders of taxi and rickshaw unions have announced that they will take vehicles off the roads in case of any untoward incident.

The dabbawalaas, who supply tiffin to officegoers, have also taken a day off.

In Pune, protestors damaged 13 Pune municipal transport buses while stone pelting was reported on 10 buses in Nagpur and one bus in neighbouring Thane district.

In Satara, in western Maharashtra, activists stopped some buses by blocking roads as part of the bandh.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai University has announced that there will be no change in its exam schedule for today irrespective of the nationwide bandh.

The Home Minister, Mr R.R. Patil, said the Government will take stringent action against those creating nuisance during the bandh and has also asked police officials to deal sternly with incidents of violence during the bandh.

Traffic blocked in parts of Delhi

New Delhi: The bandh called by NDA and Left parties to protest the hike in petrol prices did not evoke much response in the national capital though party supporters blocked traffic in some places.

Small shops were seen open in many areas in the morning while commuters complained that there were less autos on roads as a number of auto and taxi unions have joined the protest.

BJP activists led by Mr Sanjay Joshi and Mr Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi led the protest in Delhi near Akshardham temple blocking roads this morning. Leaders and several activists were detained.

“The bandh shows the public anger against this government. This will be the last nail in its coffin,” BJP National Vice-President, Mr Naqvi, said.

As there were less autos on streets, people chose Metro services and there was huge crowd at such facilities in Laxmi Nagar and Rajiv Chowk besides other places.

Police said the National Highway (NH-24) has been blocked and Delhi-Rohtak rail route has been choked by BJP workers. Buses of state-run Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) were on roads in large numbers.

In Delhi, the protest is also against the State Government’s budget proposal to impose a five per cent VAT on CNG.

A senior police official said they have ensured that every major road has police presence.

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