LIVE: Congress' Bharat Bandh evokes mixed response; BJP calls it 'failure'

Congress and 20 other Opposition parties hit the streets today to protest the recent space of hikes in fuel prices and a fall in the value of the rupee

11:28 AM

Altogether 58 Congress activists were Monday taken into police custody in Jharkhand for forcibly trying to enforce the 'Bharat Bandh' called by the party, a police officer said.

 

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Left parties in Jharkhand are supporting the Congress-sponsored 'Bharat bandh called against fuel price hike.

11:25 AM

The all-India anti-fuel price hike shutdown got underway in different parts of Maharashtra with all parties, barring the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena, joining in wholeheartedly.

 

Maharashtra Congress President Ashok Chavan and Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam led thousands of activists to stage a noisy protest outside the Andheri station bus depot, and later they got down on the railway tracks, shouting anti-government slogans.

 

Several leaders including former ministers Naseem Khan, Manikrao Thakre, Suresh Shetty, joined the agitation as police maintained strict security at Andheri.

 

However, suburban trains, BEST buses, schools and colleges functioned normally, though shops and commercial establishments downed shutters in many localities, including pockets where the opposition is influential.

11:16 AM

Tamil Nadu: Autorickshaws affiliated to trade unions participating in shutdown keep off the roads but a majority of them are plying. In Coimbatore, normal life not affected as shops and commercial establishments opened as usual.

 

City buses operating but those bound for Kerala were not plying. Buses bound to Karnataka from here were stopped at Hosur, the police added.

11:14 AM

11:13 AM

The 'Bharat Bandh' got off to a start in Bihar on Monday with no incidents of violence reported till 10.30 am.

 

Reports of traffic blockades have so far come from rural areas of Patna district, Muzaffarpur, Lakhisarai and Nalanda districts, police said. In the state capital, private schools remained closed.

 

In Bihar, the bandh which has been called by the Congress, is being supported by the RJD, NCP, Samajwadi Party, Left Front, SP and HAM(S).

11:03 AM

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11:03 AM

Police personnel deployed at petrol pumps across Delhi to ensure no untoward incident takes place.

11:02 AM

Offices, schools and colleges in Delhi capital open at regular time despite the 'Bharat Bandh' called by the Congress to protest against the hike in petrol and diesel prices. Heavy police deployment made in the national capital with reserve police forces deployed and motorcycle patrols being put on high alert.

10:36 AM

10:27 AM

10:26 AM

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh join the bandh protest.

10:22 AM

10:22 AM

Congress workers stage 'Rail Roko' at Andheri railway station in Mumbai against fuel price hike.

10:11 AM

Bus services to Bangalore and Kerala was affected since the ruling party in Karnataka and Kerala are Congress key ally in both the states the Bandh received good response, says reports.

 

Buses were operating only upto Tamil Nadu borders.

10:11 AM

The bandh did not receive much response in Tamil Nadu. Normal life was not affected as schools, colleges, offices and public transportation operated as normal and suburban trains plied as usual.

 

Few shops were closed in some places like Nagercoil, Mannargudi, Tiruvarur, TV reports said.