The Congress Party called for a Bharat Bandh today to protest the increase in petrol prices. States under Congress rule have been completely shut down. Manipur and Chhattisgarh are seeing a complete shut down in the area. States like Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have also been affected by the bandh.
Although, the Telangana Rashtriya Party (TRS) has refused to acknowledge the bandh, Congress workers are lurking the streets to intimidate vehicles passing. Mumbai has also been affected with party workers staging protests in the middle of the streets. The Telangana Recognised Schools Management Association (TRSMA) sent out a notice to keep all private schools closed today.
In Karnataka, buses have been stopped by Namma Metro is still running. In Kerala, a hartal was announced to challenge the Court’s ban on bandhs in the State. This slowly turned into a complete shutdown with the support of the opposition parties led by Congress. The call for the bandh comes after petrol prices went as high as Rs. 89 in Mumbai while it reached Rs. 85 in Hyderabad.
Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi is participating in a rally in Delhi to protest the petrol prices. Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh have also joined the cause. However, many feel this protest is highly unnecessary and this issue could be handled better.
News person Rajdeep Sardesai suggested an effective method to the Congress instead of a bandh. He tweeted, “Instead of a #BharatBandh, why don’t all opposition party ruled states cut state taxes on fuel? IMHO, that would send out a more powerful message to the aam aadmi, don’t you think?”
Instead of a #BharatBandh, why don’t all opposition party ruled states cut state taxes on fuel? IMHO, that would send out a more powerful message to the aam aadmi, don’t you think? #BharatBandh
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) 10 September 2018
