MDMK extends support to Congress-led Bharat Bandh

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) on Saturday extended its support to the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress on September 10 over a fuel price hike and depreciating value of the Indian Rupee.

Apart from MDMK, other opposition parties including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) have extended support to the nationwide shutdown.

Congress leader Ashok Gehlot had earlier told the media that the consensus to protest against the rising fuel prices and the rupee slump was reached after a meeting of all party general secretaries and state leaders. He also said that although prices were also hiked during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, led by the then prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the government took essential steps to control the situation.

The left parties have given a separate call for bandh on the same day over the hike in fuel prices, the problem of farmers and unemployment issues.

The fuel prices went further up on Saturday morning, with petrol being sold at a record price of Rs. 80.38 per litre in New Delhi, and diesel at Rs 72.51 per litre.

In Mumbai, the price of petrol rose to Rs 87.77 per litre, while diesel is being sold at 76.98 per litre.

While the government has maintained that depreciation of the Indian Rupee against the U.S dollar and a hike in global crude oil prices is causing a surge in domestic oil prices, the Opposition feels that the Narendra Modi government is not doing enough to curb rising oil prices.