Bharat Bandh: Odisha traders lose Rs 15 bn, Rs 240 bn bank deals impacted

Most shops, establishments and commercial centres down shutters in all major cities across state as Congress trains guns on both BJD and BJP

Traders in Odisha lost business deals worth Rs 15 billion due to the day-long Bharat Bandh called by opposition parties. The bandh was led by the Congress to protest against rising fuel prices.

Most shops, business establishments and commercial centres downed their shutters in all the major cities across the state.

"To avoid any untoward incident, the traders in key markets have suo moto pulled down their shutters. The loss in business due to the bandh called by the opposition parties is pegged at around Rs 15 billion," said Sudhakar Panda, Secretary, Odisha Baybasayai Mahasangha.

Banks in Odisha also bore the brunt of the strike as attendance was thin at branches all over the state. In the rural areas, Congress workers picketed before the bank branches. Banking business worth Rs 240 billion were also impacted during the day, said a bank official. 

The  State Congress Committee had extended the duration of the strike in Odisha from 6 am to three pm from 9 pm to three pm called at the national level.

In Odisha, Congress targeted both Bharatiya Janata Party and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the ruling party in the state.

Roads wore a deserted look as vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt as buses, trucks and rickshaws stayed off during the opposition-sponsored shutdown.

Niranjan Praharaj, President, Goods and Transport Association, pegged the revenue loss from the transport sector at around Rs five billion.

Train services were also disrupted as protesters demonstrated at various stations, including Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

Sporadic cases of violence were reported from the different parts of the state. 

“We demand that both BJP at the Centre and Biju Janata Dal at the state cut duties on fuel. We call upon the state government reduce the VAT rates on fuel,” said Chiranjeev Biswal, senior Congress leader.

IT companies also registered thin attendance due to the day-long shut down.