New Delhi: Delhiites may have to face
inconvenience tomorrow as BJP has given a `bandh` call to
protest against hike in bus fares and skyrocketing prices of
essential commodities.
The party today appealed to all sections of the society,
including traders, industrialists, workers and students to
support the `bandh` protesting Delhi government`s "anti-people
policies".
Police said they have made adequate arrangements to
maintain normalcy in the city.
General Secretary of the Confederation of All India
Traders (CAIT) Praveen Khandelwal said all major wholesale and
retail markets will observe the bandh to protest the hike in
bus and metro fare as well as price rise of essential
commodities.
He said the crime rate against the trading community has
increased considerably in the city. Khandelwal said the
traders will participate in a unique two-hour `half naked`
protest march from Red Fort to Chandni Chowk tomorrow to
express their anger against the government.
Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly V K Malhotra said
the Sheila Dikshit-led Government is least "bothered about the
plight of the common people" as it has been mercilessly taking
decisions to increase burden on the citizens.
"The common man is suffering. Bus fairs have surged to
such an extent that people do not prefer travelling in the
buses at all. All this is done to benefit the blueline buses,
while the government always claims to wipe away these buses
from the roads," Malhotra told reporters.
Slamming the government for its "gross negligence" in
checking prices of essential commodities, he alleged that it
is encouraging profiteering and hoarding.
"The Government has become despotic and it has completely
disassociated itself from curbing the price rise," the senior
BJP leader added.
He said transport and essential services will be allowed
to run during the bandh so that people do not face any
inconvenience.
Accusing the UPA government and the Delhi government
of deceit and betrayal, Senior BJP leader M L Khurana said,
"The `deaf and dumb` government doesn`t care about the public
and is just deceiving them."
The party also demanded that the sugar bungling case
should be enquired and a PDS system be strengthened as soon
as possible.
"We have just called for a bandh tomorrow, we will opt
for severe means if the price rise isn`t controlled and our
demands not met," said M L Khurana.
Also castigating the government on the occasion were
former Central Minister Vijay Goel and former State BJP Chief
Harsh Vardhan.
Bureau Report
