Oppn parties led by Rahul Gandhi kickstart 'Bharat Bandh'

Leaders of various opposition parties led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi kickstarted Monday the country-wide protest against rising fuel prices from Rajghat as part of the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by the party.

Gandhi, soon after his return from the Kailash Mansarovar, reached Rajghat and paid his tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. The bandh began after Gandhi offered holy water from the pilgrimage there.

Then the Congress president, accompanied by AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and other opposition leaders, started the march towards the Ramlila Maidan.

Chief of Loktantrik Janata Dal party Sharad Yadav, Congress general secretary Ambika Soni and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel also joined the march.

Azad said all across the country were joining hands to protest againt the risibng prices of petrol and diesel. "In Delhi too we are getting together under one platform and are starting our protest from Rajghat," he said.

Twenty-one opposition parties are supporting the 'Bharat bandh', besides a number of chambers of commerce and traders' associations.

The party has demanded that petrol and diesel should be brought under the GST, by which oil prices could drop by about Rs 15 to Rs 18.

Petrol and diesel prices set new records Sunday.

According to the price notification issued by the state fuel retailers, petrol price was raised Sunday by 12 paise a litre and diesel by 10 paise per litre.