Normal life remained unaffected in Delhi-NCR with offices, schools and colleges opening at their regular time
It was business as usual across Delhi and its national capital region on Monday even as Congress joined by other parties gave a call of Bharat Bandh across the country. Life remained unaffected with schools, colleges, and offices opening at usual time and going about their day. Public transport including buses and Delhi Metro services also remained unaffected, depicting a picture of lukewarm or negligible response to Bharat Bandh against steep rise in petrol and diesel prices. Buses and Metro plied on their routes with no reports of disruption pouring in from any part of the city. Autos and cab services also remained normal as the bandh failed to achieve its objective of bringing life to a halt.
The Congress that called for the bandh protested at different places across Delhi. Petrol pumps remained the favourite place for dharna for thousands of party workers criticised centre rules BJP for steep fuel hike.
Senior Congress leader including Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party president Rahul Gandhi held a protest march, slowing down traffic on the roads leading to Rajghat and Ramlila Maidan. Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken protested by riding a bullock cart outside a petrol pump near Rajendra Place. The cart had a scooter placed on it, symbolising the plight of aam aadmi.
"We have asked our workers to protest peacefully and not resort to any violence," said senior Congress leader Mukul Sharma. Maken, on the other hand, blamed the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party government for the price rise. "The fuel prices have gone up unprecedentedly because the AAP in Delhi and the Centre have continued to increase VAT and excise duties on petroleum products. The common man is badly hit," he said.
Heavy police force was deployed across the national capital with reserve police forces and motorcycle patrol on high alert to avoid any untoward incident. Cops were deployed at petrol pumps too as Congress workers staged protests outside pumps.
The Delhi unit of BJP, however, dismissed the bandh as a failed politician gimmick. The party said that by going ahead with their day, citizens hailed democracy as foremost rather than supporting a non-existing cause.
- 4,000 Police personnel were deployed to ensure law and order is maintained. The district DCP reserve force which is usually present in the area as a backup force
- 14 Calls were received by the Police Control Room in connection with the Bharat Bandh. Around three or four calls were about traffic jams in South-East Delhi
- 100 People had gathered in groups in the Samaypur Badli area, Farsh Bazar, Amar Colony, IP Estate, Shahbad Dairy, Kalyanpuri, among others to participate in the bandh.
- 21 Political parties supported the Congress that called the Bharat Band against rising fuel prices
VIJAY CHOWK
JUST ANOTHER NORMAL TRAFFIC DAY
A transport department official said that DTC buses and cluster buses were running as usual and no reports of disruption were received. Usual traffic jams were witnessed at Vikas Marg ITO. Schools, colleges and offices opened at the same time while vehicles plied on roads without any disruption. There were no reports of the disruption of Metro services from any part of the city.
NOIDA SECTOR 18
FORCED TO SHUTDOWN
The Bharat Bandh saw mixed reactions in Noida and Ghaziabad. Congress workers in Noida forcefully downed shutters of shops at Sector 18 in Noida. Whereas some shopkeepers kept shops their shops closed to avoid being harassed by picketers, while some opened their stores despite warnings from local Congress workers. The Gautam Budh Nagar police deployed forces in prominent marketplaces to check any untoward incident.
KHAN MARKET
BUSINESS AS USUAL
Prominent shopping areas and business hubs like Connaught Place, Nehru Place, Khan Market, South Extension, Greater Kailash, Sarojini Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Karol Bagh, Rajouri Garden teemed with activity like any other day. Shopkeepers did not down their shutters in Janakpuri, Mayur Vihar, Rohini, and peripheral areas like Nangloi, too. “It was another business day for us as no one in the market shut shop, a wholesaler.
GHAZIABAD
NOT A WIDESPREAD EFFECT
In Ghaziabad, several Rashtriya Lok Dal workers participated in a rally on GT Road protesting against the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress over steep hike in fuel prices and the devaluation of the rupee. However, the effect of the bandh was minimal as educational institutions and marketplaces remained open throughout the day
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