BJP readies stir, Maharashtra wary

The state government is relieved after two key political parties opted out of the Bharat bandh on Thursday.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has called a Bharat bandh on Thursday to protest diesel price hike, subsidised LPG cylinders cap and FDI in retail. The Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have decided to not participate in the bandh.

The state government has appealed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) not to force shops to down shutters.

On Tuesday, home minister RR Patil said he was sure that there would be no visible impact of the bandh in the state.

“I have appealed to the BJP to stage a peaceful protest,” Patil said. “They may submit their memorandums to the government without forcing shops and establishments to down shutters,” he added.

The state government will deploy 20 battalions of the Central Security Forces, apart from the State Reserve Force personnel. The force will be utilised by the home department to maintain peace during the bandh.

The BJP has assured the Mumbai police that the bandh would be observed peacefully.

The BJP has announced that senior leader Gopinath Munde  would lead protesters gherao the Mantralaya on Thursday. The party also has announced a rally in north Mumbai under the leadership of former petroleum minister Ram Naik and MLA Gopal Shetty. The party has appealed to the traders to participate in the bandh. 

A delegation led by the party’s city chief Raj Purohit met joint police commissioner (law and order) Sadanand Date to apprise him about the unrest among the traders over the FDI policy. Purohit assured Date that the bandh would be observed peacefully. He said the party workers in all the six assembly constituencies in the city have been asked to take part in the bandh.

“There is a huge unrest among the general public and the traders on allowing FDI investment in retail. The bandh is in the interest of the people,” said Vinod Tawde, leader of opposition in the state council.