The call for Bharat Bandh, given by 21 Opposition parties, including the Congress, against the unprecedented rise in petroleum products, evoked mixed response in Gujarat as the authorities briefly detained hundreds of Congress workers from different places when they tried to enforce the bandh by closing markets and institutions or they tried to break the law.

No major untoward incidents were reported from anywhere in the state. The Congress workers tried to disrupt traffic at various places by burning tyres on the roads.

State BJP spokesman IK Jadeja said the bandh “failed” even as the the Congress leaders claimed success.

AICC General Secretary for Gujarat Rajeev Satav and State Congress chief Amit Chavda were among those the police briefly detained in Ahmedabad while they went on a rally, breaking the Section 144 which prohibits gathering of more than five persons at a place. Paresh Dhanani, the Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha, was also similarly detained for some time in Amreli.

The Congress workers tried to enforce the bandh call at different places. Many markets, educational institutions and other establishments remained closed for a few hours and reopened later. State transport bus services was suspended at some places, causing problems to commuters and passengers.