Bandh effective in SAD-BJP led Punjab, partial in Haryana

The nationwide bandh call against petrol price hike today affected normal life in SAD-BJP ruled Punjab, but evoked a mixed response in Congress-led Haryana.

In Chandigarh, rail traffic was disrupted as BJP activists held a demonstration close to the Chandigarh railway station causing detention of a few trains, including the New Delhi-Chandigarh-Kalka Himalayan Queen and the New Delhi-Chandigarh-Kalka Shatabdi Express.

As the SAD-BJP supported the nation-wide bandh call given by NDA, commercial establishments including shops, markets at most of the places in Punjab including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Batala, Kapurthala, Mohali, Pathankot and Amritsar remained closed, though factories and other industrial units were operational.

However, emergency services, including hospitals and chemist shops remained open. Road transport was also hit due to the bandh, with majority of buses, including private ones, remaining off the road in Punjab, causing inconveniences to people.

Truckers, fearing damage to their vehicles, also did not ply in the wake of the bandh call. "Majority of truck owners are not plying their vehicles during the bandh as they fear their trucks could get damaged during protests on road and most importantly the ruling party (SAD-BJP) is supporting it," said a Ludhiana based transporter Gurdeep Singh.

A report from Phagwara said that shopkeepers were seen shutting down their shutters in the morning as protesters belonging to SAD and BJP forced them to do so.

In Patiala, strength of students in government schools was also negligible even as many private schools in the city declared holiday today in view of the nation wide bandh call. BJP and SAD workers held protest rallies at various locations in Punjab to express their anger against the steep hike made in petrol prices by the Centre.

The Akali Dal and BJP workers led by Ropar MLA and SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema sat on a dharna at Nangal chowk and blocked traffic on Ropar-Chandigarh road and National Highway No. 21 (Chandigarh Manali) and criticised the Congress led Centre for burdening the people with steepest hike in the petrol prices. Cheema demanded for a roll back in the increased petrol prices.

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