Indian National Congress President Rahul Gandhi initiated the Bharat Bandh call in the first joint political action by the Opposition against rising fuel prices and fall of the Indian Rupee. Congress said that 21 parties, including SP, BSP, TMC, DMK and RJD and trade and commerce bodies have responded to the call.
The Leaders of the Opposition are to hold a dharna at Rajghat today. On another note, five Left Front parties have separately called for a shutdown over ongoing problems of the farmers, unemployment issues and rising fuel prices.
Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi’s silence over rising fuel prices. “PM Modi has failed to deliver on the promises made to the country. The Rupee value has never been this weak in the past 70 years,” he said.
The BJP, in response, has called the bandh a “flop show” and stated that the government of India has no control over the fuel price hike. Ravi Shankar Prasad, a BJP party member denounced the ‘violent protests’ taking place across the country.
“It’s the essence of democracy that hospitals, ambulances, and medicine shops are allowed to function without any hindrance. But, with the death of 2-year-old in Bihar today, an environment of fear is being created,” he said.
However, ANI quoted Jehanabad SDO Paritosh Kumar saying that the death was not linked to the protests. “The death of the child is not related to bandh or traffic jam, the relatives had left late from their home,” he said.
#Bihar: The death of the child is not related to bandh or traffic jam, the relatives had left late from their home: SDO Jehanabad Paritosh Kumar on reports that a 2-year-old patient died after the vehicle was stuck in #BharathBandh protests pic.twitter.com/mE8yQRuj2H
— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2018
