Bhopal: The day-long bandh called by BJP and
other parties in protest against the fuel price hike was near
total and largely peaceful in Madhya Pradesh, barring a few
incidents when protesters forcibly tried to stop some trains.
Protestors stopped Howrah-Mumbai mail for about 15
minutes at Shridham station in Jabalpur division while
Damoh-Kota passenger was also stopped for a few minutes at
Sagar by the BJP workers, railway sources said.
In Bhopal division, markets wore a deserted look and
except for essential services like milk booths and medicine
shops, rest of the business establishments remained closed.
Bhopal Divisional Commissioner Manoj Shrivastava said the
bandh was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported
from anywhere in the division.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj
claimed at a press conference here earlier in the day that
people supported the bandh as they are angry with the hike in
the prices of petroleum products and rising inflation.
In Indore, a water-tanker belonging to Congress MLA,
Ashwin Joshi was damaged by bandh supporters while flower-pots
at a factory at Umariakhedi village were broken by protestors
when they found it open despite the bandh call.
The BJP leaders, including Indore city unit president
Shankar Lalwani took a ride on bullock-carts and horses
saying that if the petrol prices continue to rise, people
will have no option but to rely on these two modes of
transport.
The bandh was peaceful in Ratlam, Additional
Superintendent of Police Rajesh Vyas said.
The protesting CPM workers in Morena stopped narrow-gauge
trains at Kailaras for nearly two-hours.
-PTI
