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New Delhi:

Leaders of various opposition parties led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi kickstarted the country-wide protest against rising fuel prices from Rajghat as part of the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by the party. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala had said that the common man was bearing the burden of escalating prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.

The Congress said 21 opposition parties are supporting the Bharat Bandh along with a number of chambers of commerce and traders' associations.

The party demanded that petrol and diesel should be brought under GST, by which oil prices could drop by about Rs 15 to Rs 18.

Schools and colleges in Bengaluru in Karnataka, where the Congress shares power with JD(S), will be closed today and daily life will likely be affected. A host of organisations such as Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, KSRTC, BMTC, Ola and Uber Drivers and Owners Association, Auto Drivers' Association will lend their support to the Bharat Bandh in Karnataka.

In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress said that while it supported the issues related to increasing fuel prices, it would not support the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress. The reason, it said, was that strikes like the Bharat Bandh would lead to a waste of working hours. Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee had urged the Trinamool activists and common people to keep shops and establishments functional today.

In Odisha, the ruling BJD has also refused to support the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress. Toeing the Trinamool line, it also said that it was against the hike in fuel prices. The Odisha government has however, announced that all schools in the state would be closed today to ensure the safety of students.

Here are the LIVE Updates from the Bharat Bandh over rising fuel prices:

Three buses of a private school in Pune were stoned and damaged on Monday during the 'Bharat Bandh' called by the Congress and various other opposition parties, school management and police said. No one was injured.
BJP workers and members distributed sweets among shopkeepers who opened their shops and drivers who drove their vehicles even amid the bandh call in Howrah

"Momentary Difficulty... People Understand": Government On Fuel Price Hike
Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today declared that the Congress-led Bharat Bandh has been a flop, because the people the people "understand" that the price rise is beyond the government's control. The people, he said, were "indifferent" to the nationwide shutdown, because "they understand the rise in fuel prices, though temporary, is because of factors beyond the control of the Indian government"

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress on Monday staged a protest in Srinagar, as part of the party's call for 'Bharat Bandh' against rising fuel prices. The call did not affect normal life in Kashmir 

Traffic Normal, Offices Open Amid Bharat Bandh Call In West Bengal
The nationwide strike called by the Congress and the Left Front remained largely ineffective in West Bengal on Monday. Traffic was near normal and all offices were open." 
Shiv Sena lawmaker Sanjay Raut on Monday dismissed talks of senior BJP leaders asking his party to stay away from the nationwide bandh called by the Congress to protest the rising prices of fuel.

Mr Raut asserted it was the Shiv Sena's own decision to not take part in the "Bharat Bandh" and its stand had nothing to do with the BJP.

"No BJP leader has asked the Shiv Sena to stay away from the bandh. It's our own decision," he said.

A quick roundup of the Bandh situation in various places 

Delhi: Normal life remained unaffected with offices, schools and colleges opening at their regular time and vehicles plying on roads despite a bandh call given by the Congress and protests staged by it across the national capital against the steep hike in petrol and diesel prices.

Uttar Pradesh: Amidst tight security by the state government, commercial establishments, offices, schools and colleges operated as per their regular schedule and vehicular traffic in main towns and cities of the state remained unaffected by the bandh.

Punjab/Haryana: There was no report of any untoward incident from any place as sufficient security arrangements were made by the police to maintain law and order, officials said.

Gujarat: It evoked a mixed response with the party calling the shutdown successful while the police claimed it had no major impact. Police said over 300 Congress functionaries were detained across the state, including state party chief Amit Chavda and Gujarat party in charge Rajiv Satav from Lal Darwaja area here.

Maharashtra: Workers from several political parties, including the Congress and the MNS, briefly disrupted transport services by stopping suburban trains and metro rail at various places in Mumbai. Nearly 100 Congress leaders and workers were detained during the protest in the state capital.

Goa: Congress leaders visited fuel pumps to apprise people of the Centre's policies. All India Congress Committee secretary A Chellakumar told reporters that the state unit of the Congress was not observing the shutdown as Goa is getting ready for Ganesh Chaturthi.

West Bengal: Almost all schools and colleges were open with the scheduled examinations underway and the office-goers were seen rushing to office. Train services were also normal.

Odisha: At least 10 trains were cancelled and several others regulated in the jurisdiction of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) in view of the bandh. Commuters were stranded in many places as buses, taxis and autorickshaws stayed off the roads.

Mizoram: Shops, offices and educational institutions were open in Congress-ruled Mizoram as there was no impact of the bandh anywhere in the state.

Bihar: Arson, vandalism and disruption of rail and road traffic were reported from various parts of Bihar during the bandh. A three-year-old girl died in the Jehanabad district which the BJP alleged was due to delay in find a vehicle to take her to the hospital. Private schools and a sizeable number of shopping establishments remained closed.

Assam:  Normal life was hit in BJP-ruled Assam. Congress workers attempted to stop movement of trains by squatting on the railway tracks and tried to block national highways and main roads across the state by burning tyres and setting up bamboo barricades.

Telangana: It evoked a mixed response as it was business as usual in many parts of the state, including the capital city. No untoward incidents have been reported so far, police said.

Kerala: Both public and private transport buses and autorickshaws kept off the roads across the state in response to the strike which began at 6 am. A large number of people including women and elderly, who arrived in the state capital by train from faraway places, were left stranded at the Thampanoor Railway station.

Tamil Nadu: Police sources said government buses were plying as usual even as educational institutions and a large number of shops and commercial establishments remained open.

Karnataka: Roads in the city wore a deserted look since morning as government buses, private taxis and most of the autorickshaws did not ply. Business establishments, shops, malls, certain private enterprises remained closed. SRTC buses kept off the road, sources said, adding city buses also did not ply.

Andhra Pradesh: Most of the educational institutions remained closed because of the bandh. Petrol stations too remained closed. Otherwise, there has not been much of an impact due to the shutdown.

 Puducherry: Public vehicles remained off roads, while stones were thrown at a Tamil Nadu government-owned express bus and a private college vehicle.
Bharat Bandh, called by the Congress and other opposition parties against spiralling fuel prices paralysed normal life in Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry on Monday but drew a mixed response in the other southern states, officials said.

Normal life was thrown into disarray in the Karnataka where the Congress-JD(S) combine is in power. Roads in the city were deserted since morning as government buses, private taxis and most autorickshaws did not ply.


Andhra Pradesh Cuts Petrol, Diesel Prices By Rs 2 Per Litre
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has announced a reduction of Rs 2 per litre on fuel prices, effective tomorrow. The loss of revenue from taxes will cost the exchequer up to Rs 1,120 crore, it is estimated."
The BJP on Monday defended the rise in oil prices, attributing it to global factors, and accused the Congress and other opposition parties of resorting to violence during the 'Bharat Bandh'

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad acknowledged that the people were facing "momentary difficulty" due to increasing petrol and diesel prices and said the rise was due to factors beyond the government's control
Randeep Surjewala during press briefing 

For the sake of women and homemakers, government must reduce gas prices

Bring Petrol diesel under GST purview, reduce VAT. Until this is done, our protest will continue 

The rupee is falling. It is a failure of 'Modinomics'

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah:  Why was there a Bharat Bandh in the first place? If you listen to the 2012 speeches of those in power today, they were shouting about petrol&diesel prices. Today the prices are surpassing prices of that time, Rupee has weakened against Dollar. We are in trouble 
Bus services in Davanagere, Chamarajnagar, Kolar, Kolar Gold Fields, Bengaluru, Shimoga and Tumkur have now resumed: Karnataka State Road Transport 
UP Cabinet Minister and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar has warned the ruling BJP, saying the in the history of the country, governments have fallen because of price rise.

"In our country, there is a history of governments falling due to price rise. The people of the country have the real power. Whenever there is rise in petrol or diesel prices, the party in power has to suffer as this affects traders, youths, farmers and the poor," Mr Rajbhar said in a tweet on Sunday.

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu announces a reduction in petrol and diesel price by Rs 2 each, in the state: ANI
Left on Congress' Bharat Bandh 

Seven Left parties, including CPI(M), CPI, RSP, Forward Block, CPI(ML), Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) and Communist Ghadar Party of India, staged a demonstration, alleging that the rise in fuel prices had a cascading inflationary effect.

"Left parties call on people to join this protest in a big way to demonstrate people's rejection of the Modi government and its policies. Distressed people of the country are forcing opposition parties to come together against the anti-people BJP government at the Centre," Sitaram Yechury told the people gathered at the rally.
Response to Congress' Bharat Bandh in Gujarat 

The Congress' Bharat bandh to protest against skyrocketing fuel prices evoked a mixed response in Gujarat with the party calling the shutdown successful while the police claimed it had no major impact.

Police said that over 300 Congress functionaries were detained across the state, including state party chief Amit Chavda and Gujarat party in-charge Rajiv Satav from Lal Darwaja area here in Ahmedabad. 

Schools were shut in areas including Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Mehsana and there were reports of Congress workers forcing petrol pumps to down shutters in some parts of the state.

In Rajkot, government schools remained open while private schools declared a holiday.
"When the rate of crude oil is soaring, why can't people reduce their expenditure and consumption", Rajasthan Minister Rajkumar
Rinwa said 

Amit Shah met with Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan for over an hour and a half at the BJP party office
Problems because of rising fuel prices momentary, caused by global factors: BJP: news agency PTI

The BJP Monday said the problem being faced by the people because of rising fuel prices were momentary and caused by global factors, according to news agency PTI.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also hit out at the Congress and its allies, alleging that they resorted to violence during the Bharat Bandh due to lack of support from the masses.

He told the media that the hike in oil prices was caused by limited supply.

"We are standing with the people in their concern, but this is a problem whose solution is not in our hands," he said, according to news agency PTI.

The Modi government has worked a lot to bring down inflation and has achieved success as well, Prasad said, adding that inflation was 10.4 per cent between 2009-14 of UPA rule and is now 4.7 per cent.
Bharat Bandh evokes mixed response in Telangana: news agency PTI

The 'Bharat Bandh' call given by several opposition parties over rising petrol and diesel prices Monday evoked a mixed response as it was business as usual in many parts of the state, including the capital city, according to news agency PTI.

No untoward incidents have been reported so far, police said.

The police took scores of leaders and workers of the Congress, Left and Telugu Desam Party into custody when they held protests near State Road Transport Corporation depots, preventing busses from plying on roads, according to PTI.
Read Here: Bharat Bandh Today: No Role In Fuel Prices, Says BJP Amid Nationwide Bandh Protests Led By Rahul Gandhi: 10 Facts
Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Narendra Modi and his government over the rising fuel prices and other issues. Mr Gandhi, who is leading the nationwide 'Bharat Bandh' or shutdown, questioned PM Modi's silence on fuel prices and the Rafale deal. 22 opposition parties are participating in the 'Bharat Bandh' with fuel price being the key issue. Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had refused to join the bandh, also sent its leaders. Top opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar, MK Stalin and Left leaders have supported the bandh, while Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has decided to stay away. The effect of the shutdown is especially evident in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala and Bihar. "The country's people know the government is not involved in the fuel price rise," Union Minister Ravi Shankar said.
Bharat Bandh: Ravi Shankar Prasad challenges Manmohan Singh in Parliament

There are petrol pumps being burnt, buses, cars being broken. Who is responsible for the deaths (during protests)? We want to ask Congress replies for this.

An environment of fear is being created, over the fuel price hike, Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Manmohan Singh is saying GST has destroyed the nation. I am ready to debate Manmohan Singh in parliament, Mr Prasad added.

Congress workers carry a motorbike on a bullock cart during Bharat Bandh in Delhi's Preet Vihar
Bharat Bandh: AAP leader Atishi (left) seen here with Left leaders Sitaram Yechury, D Raja
Read Here: Karnataka Bandh: Normal Life Hit, Transport Services Suspended
Normal life in the JDS-Congress ruled Karnataka has been hit by the nation-wide protest today, called upon by Congress president Rahul Gandhi against the rising fuel prices and depreciation of rupee.
Bharat Bandh In Images. Watch Here

Bharat Bandh in Patna::




Bharat Bandh In Images. Watch Here

In New Delhi::








Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday alleged that hatred was being spread and the country being divided under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to news agency PTI.

He also said that a united opposition will defeat the BJP in the next Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a protest rally at Ramlila grounds here organised by the Congress and joined by other opposition parties over fuel price hike, Gandhi also questioned the silence of PM Modi on fuel prices and the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Taking a dig at PM Modi, he said the PM often says that what has happened in the last four years of his rule has not happened in 70 years is actually true, according to PTI.

"Hatred is being spread, one Indian is fighting the other, the country is being divided," he said.
Bharat Bandh: "Necessary to make government understand they have failed": Sharad Pawar tweets his support to Rahul Gandhi

"It is necessary to make the government understand that they have completely failed to serve the nation," tweeted NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

Bharat Bandh: 58 Congress activists in Jharkhand taken into custody: news agency PTI

Around 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, according to news agency Press Trust of India.

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.

Fifty eight Congress activists including Palamau district Congress president Jaias Ranjan Pathak were taken into custody for forcibly trying to enforce the bandh, Superintendent of Police Inderjeet Mahata said, according to PTI.
A security personnel walks past a burning tyre during 'Bharat Bandh' protest against fuel price hike and depreciation of the rupee, in Guwahati.

Read Here: In Bharat Bandh, Motorcycle On Shoulders To Show "Weight" Of Fuel Price In Patna
As the nation-wide shutdown called by the opposition took effect on Monday, Bihar was one of the states where the protests by various opposition parties were witnessed.
Read Here: Bharat Bandh: Petrol At 89.97 In Maharashtra Town, Highest In India, Amid Fuel Protests
As petrol prices on Monday shot up to Rs 89.97 in Maharashtra's Parbhani - the highest in India - the Opposition Congress staged a 'rail-roko' agitation in Mumbai as part of the party-sponsored nationwide shutdown to protest rising fuel prices.
Rahul Gandhi questions silence of PM Narendra Modi on fuel prices: news agency PTI
Bharat Bandh: Sanjay Nirupam has been arrested as Congress workers stage 'Rail Roko' protests at Andheri Railway Station

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

Bharat Bandh: Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Modi
  • PM cannot give an answer. India's people should know that the money Modi has given is the money of the people. Your money has been stolen from you.
  • Small businesses have been finished. And nobody till now knows the reason behind notes ban. India's black money became white.
Rahul Gandhi at Bharat Bandh protests: 

Narendra Modi keeps giving lectures. There is no way for farmers, labourers. It can only be seen for 15-20 people, the crony capitalists.

Bharat Bandh: Rahul Gandhi speaks

What PM Modi did in 4 years, that has not happened in 70 years. Wherever you see, Indians are fighting amongst each other.

The value of Rupee hasn't been this weak in 70 years. Petrol is more than Rs 90.
Sep 10, 2018 11:32 (IST)