Congress, opposition parties to hold Bharat bandh on Monday: Here’s all you need to know

Police detain Mahila Congress members who were holding a protest against the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case, outside the Bihar Assembly in Patna (Image:PTI)

Opposition parties are set to observe a one-day nationwide Bharat bandh on September 10 to protest against rising prices of essential commodities in the country. The bandh is being led by the Congress party and is expected to be supported by other opposition parties in multiple states.

About the shutdown
The bandh has been planned to protest increasing prices of essential commodities such as petrol, diesel, cooking gas, falling value of the Indian rupee versus the dollar and other issues that 'affect' the people.

It is scheduled to be held from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm on September 10. Congress will also hold district-level protest meetings at 4.00 pm in some locations across the country.

Who is supporting the bandth?The shutdown is expected to be observed in several states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Odisha.

Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) has announced support. Janata Dal (Secular), which runs a coalition government with the Congress in Karnataka, has also extended its support.

Number of organisation such as Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Ola and Uber Drivers and Owners Association, Private Taxi Owners Association, Tours and Travels Taxi Association and Auto Drivers' Association.

Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) said it would support the bandh. RJD National Vice President Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said, "We have to strengthen opposition's unity in the proposed Bharat bandh...We will be actively participating in the Bharat bandh in the interest of the people."

Parties that constitute the Left front will also be backing the bandh, except the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), which has decided to stay away, accusing major partner Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s central leadership of not consulting it before taking the call.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Tamil Nadu’s main opposition party, will also be supporting the shutdown. It said it would play an active part in making it a success.

Conveying his party's 'whole-hearted support', party President MK Stalin said DMK would "enthusiastically take part and cooperate to make the shutdown a complete success."

West Bengal’s ruling party - the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) - said it supports issues being raised by opposition parties. However, the Mamata Banerjee-led government said it would take all measures to maintain the public utility services on September 10 as it was against any shutdown.

However, TMC is expected to take out protest marches, across the state, against increasing prices of essential commodities. TMC Secretary General Partha Chatterjee promised all administrative measures to ensure that life remained normal in the state.

Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will also be supporting the bandh.

Opposition parties in Maharashtra have appealed to the Shiv Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to support the shutdown. MNS has expressed its support for the shutdown.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said, "MNS leader Raj Thackeray is calling for opposition unity. So, we expect he will support this bandh.”

"It is also a great opportunity for Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to give a jolt to the BJP government. If the financial capital (Mumbai) shuts down, it will be like the whole country shutting down," Malik said.

The Odisha government directed all schools to remain closed on September 10 and has asked all district collectors to take preventive measures.

However, it is unclear if Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the ruling party, would support the shutdown.

While Congress' state unit leaders said they will not follow any disruptive politics during the bandh, the party is expected to take out small rallies in different cities across the country.

State governments are bracing for minimising disruption caused by the shutdown.

(With PTI inputs)