Markets closed during Gaya bandh, BJP attacks govt

Markets remained closed during a bandh called in Gaya town today by citizens and traders to protest district adminstration's "one-sided" action in the scuffle between RJD MLA Surendra Yadav and a shopkeeper on Sunday.
Schools, colleges, and offices remained opened and there was no hindrance to movement of traffic on streets but shops in all prominent markets of the tourist town remained shut, district authorities said.
Shops in minority dominated areas of Chatta Masjid, Peer Mansoor and Plaza markets also kept their shutters down, they said.
There is no report of any untoward incident during the bandh called by "Nagrik Sangharsh Morcha" and supported by BJP, as a reaction to the shutdown observed on December 16 by RJD, JD(U) and Congress earlier in the week in protest against shopkeepers indulging in scuffle with RJD MLA Surendra Yadav.

Meanwhile, opposition BJP today raised the Gaya issue in the Legislative Council and strongly condemned the district administration's "one sided" action in the incident.
Leader of Opposition in the Council, Sushil Kumar Modi later told reporters in his chamber that police acted "cruelly" against tilkut (sweet) seller Dhirendra Kumar Keshri on the complaint of RJD MLA Surendra Yadav while he and his bodyguards have been spared despite FIR lodged by shopkeeper.
Sushil Modi, who had paid a visit to Gaya on Wednesday to show solidarity with traders and family of the shopkeeper, dismissed reports of angry shopkeepers throwing boiling cooking oil on the legislator.