Bharat Bandh: Protests Against Fuel Price Hikes Intensify

Several Opposition parties announced their support to the strike which was called by the Congress and Left front.

Rahul Gandhi addresses the Bharat Bandh in Delhi

(Photo: PTI)

Video Editor: Vishal Kumar

Congress called for a pan-India protest against fuel price hikes on 10 September. Most of the Opposition parties announced their support to the Bharat bandh, which was called by the Congress and Left Front to force a showdown with the Modi government that has evaded giving a direct explanation for the non-stop rise in fuel prices.

While parties like the Janata Dal-Secular or JD(S), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), DMK, Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) backed the shutdown, the Left has also declared a nationwide hartal.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi led the protest march in Delhi against rising fuel prices.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi also joined the protest. Top Opposition leaders including Sharad Pawar, Sharad Yadav, Manoj Jha, Somanath Bharti along with Ghulam Nabi Azad and Manoj Sharma were also present.

The Congress wants petrol and diesel to be brought under the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which would decrease the price "by Rs 15-18 per litre". It also wants an immediate reduction in central excise duty and "excessive VAT" in states.

(with inputs from IANS and PTI)