Bharat Bandh against price hike

The BJP and its allies have called for a Bharat bandh on Monday to protest against escalating prices.

Inflation is in double digits and fuel prices have risen since the government deregulated oil prices, and now the Opposition is taking what it says is the aam aadmi's protest on the streets.

The Left is also protesting against the fuel hike on Monday, demanding a rollback.

Mumbai:

The country's financial capital Mumbai was deserted today as part of the Bharat Bandh called by the BJP against fuel price hike.

Over 1000 protesters have been arrested and 40,000 police personnel have been deployed on the streets of Mumbai to avert any incidence of violence.

Besides the city's police force, additional forces like the Rapid Action Force and State Reserve Police Force have also been deployed.

Mumbai:

The streets that are usually busy on a Monday morning were totally deserted.

Mumbai:

Schools were shut and virtually no public transport could be seen on the roads. Trains too have been badly affected.

Lucknow:

In Lucknow, BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Muqtar Abbas Naqvi have courted arrest after a lathicharge on party workers outside the party's office.

Lucknow:

There were reports of a lathicharge on Samajwadi Party workers outside their party office too as the Mayawati government came down heavily on protesters.

Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party is not supporting the bandh.

Lucknow:

Hundreds of BJP protesters had gathered in support of the nation-wide bandh against rise in prices.

Delhi:

The nation-wide Bharat Bandh called by opposition parties to protest fuel price rise did not seem to have hit normal life in the capital today though BJP workers blocked road, rail and metro services in some areas.

The New Delhi Railway station was unaffected. Also, the flight services were not hit in the Capital.

Delhi:

Buses, autos and private vehicles were plying on the streets from the morning, while offices registered more than an average attendance.

Delhi:

BJP supporters entered Metro stations in Rajiv Chowk, Karol Bagh, Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri West and Uttam Nagar stations posing as passengers and shouted slogans.

Delhi:

Protestors also locked the gates of Patel Nagar station creating problems for commuters.

Patna:

Protesters in Bihar have blocked about 10 Express and mail trains since morning.

Bihar is ruled by the JD(U)-BJP, and party workers are all out to ensure the bandh is a success.

Patna:

As office hours began, BJP workers began forcing vehicles and bikers off the roads.

Patna:

Woman workers of the BJP blocked traffic in the city.

Patna:

Tyres were burnt in front of Patna University.

Patna:

BJP leaders took to the road on bicycles. Seen here, Ravi Shankar Prasad on a bicycle.

Hyderabad:

In Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party leaders took to the streets and courted arrest.

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu also courted arrest in Hyderabad and said the Centre must roll back the fuel price hike or else they will intensify the protests.

Bhopal:

In the Madhya Pradesh capital, Bhopal, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rules, senior party leader Sushma Swaraj lead the bandh against the spiralling hike in prices.

All private schools, colleges and other institutions were closed and 5000 policemen were deployed there.

Many cinema theatres were also shut.

Bhopal:

Private buses and autorickshaws kept off the roads and shops remained closed, but flights were on time.

Kolkata:

In Kolkata, all private airlines have cancelled flights out of the city between 6 am to 6 pm because of the nation-wide bandh called by several Opposition parties, including the Left that rules West Bengal.

Kolkata:

Air India is operating all flights till noon. Flights to Delhi in the afternoon are being rescheduled for take-off after 6 pm.

Trivandrum:

All schools and most business establishments were closed in Kerala on Monday. This is the second time in eight days that Kerala has ground to a halt. There was a strike on June 26 too.

Private vehicles, buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws were off the roads. Passengers were stranded at the railway stations.

Trivandrum:

Although the streets bore a deserted look , the, protesters were allowing two-wheelers to ply. Emergency and hospital services were exempted from the bandh. The ruling Left and the BJP have planned protest marches in all district headquarters.

Police stand guard at Bharatmata Junction in Mumbai. (Image courtesy: Mid-Day.com)

The streets of Lalbaug wear a deserted look. (Image courtesy: Mid-Day.com)

ST buses damaged by BJP activists in Thane. (Image courtesy: Mid-Day.com)

BJP Kamgar Sena activists clash with police. (Image courtesy: Mid-Day.com)

Protests on in Parel. (Image courtesy: Mid-Day.com)

Police personnel on standby in Bhandup. (Image courtesy: Mid-Day.com)

At Nahur station, beyond Bhandup. (Image courtesy: Mid-Day.com)

Policemen gathering video footage for their own records. (Image courtesy: Mid-Day.com)

Let's look at some pictures of the bandh from Twitter.

Delhi:

Image by tech2press from Twitter

Mumbai

Image by girishmallya from Twitter

Mumbai

Image by girishmallya from Twitter

Bangalore

Image by parthajha from Twitter

Mumbai

Image by mumbaicentral from Twitter

Mumbai

Image by mumbaicentral from Twitter

Surat

Image by vimalgv from Twitter

Mumbai

Image by nachiketbarve from Twitter

Cooch Behar, West Bengal

Image by goldenarcher from Twitter

Mumbai

Image by jaspritsgill from Twitter

Mumbai

Image by jaspritsgill from Twitter