Bharat bandh evokes good response in Chhattisgarh

Congress' Bharat Bandh against rising fuel prices Monday evoked a good response in the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh where many business establishments remained shut in major cities including Raipur and buses stayed off roads.

No untoward incident was reported from any part of the state, according to police.

The nationwide bandh has been called by the Congress over rising fuel prices and depreciation of the rupee.

AICC Chhattisgarh in-charge and senior leader PL Punia, state Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel joined the party workers in Raipur in appealing to businessmen to down their shutters.

The Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce (CCC) had supported the shutdown.

Passengers were inconvenienced as most of the state transport buses didn't ply in Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund and Bilaspur districts, joined by auto rickshaws in Raipur.

Almost all petrol pumps remained shut in Raipur till late afternoon. Private schools also remained closed for the day.

Essential services like hospitals, medical stores and ambulances were exempted from the shutdown.

Raipur Additional Superintendent of Police Prafulla Thalur said no untoward incident was reported so far in Raipur district.

Police personnel were deployed in large numbers in the markets as well as outside the offices of the Central government in Raipur, he said.

Near total bandh was observed in cities like Raigarh, Korba, Bilaspur, Jagdalpur and Rajandgaon.

State Congress unit communication wing chief Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said the bandh was successful.