Fuel Price Hike: Congress Stages Half-Day 'Bandh', Several Workers Detained; BJP Says Shutdown Failed

Former Madhya Pradesh minister P.C. Sharma, who was among those detained, claimed the Congress party’s half-day shutdown call received a good response. “I was detained from bus stop number 6 with other Congressmen while we were requesting the shop owners to get the shutters down. I have been brought to the central jail campus with other Congressmen,” PTI quoted Sharma as saying.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh along with party workers urges shopkeepers to close their shops during Madhya Pradesh Bandh over fuel price hike. (Image: PTI)

Several Congress workers were detained during the statewide half-day shutdown against the rising fuel prices in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal as the protesters clashed with the police personnel in several areas. Former Madhya Pradesh minister P.C. Sharma, who was among those detained, claimed the Congress party’s half-day shutdown call received a good response. ALSO READ | Congress Sachin Sawant Accuses BJP Of Spreading 'Sangh Jihad' After Saffron Party's Minority Cell Chief Held In Illegal Immigrant Case

“I was detained from bus stop number 6 with other Congressmen while we were requesting the shop owners to get the shutters down. I have been brought to the central jail campus with other Congressmen,” PTI quoted Sharma as saying.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state on the other hand claimed the shutdown call received a lukewarm response from the people. Deepak Vijayvargiya, the chief spokesperson of Madhya Pradesh BJP, said the shutdown has completely failed, adding the Congress has no bearing in the state.

The shutdown call comes in the wake of the skyrocketing fuel prices as petrol is being sold at Rs 98.58 per litre in Bhopal while diesel is priced at Rs 89.21 per litre.

The increase in fuel prices continue across all major metropolitan cities as well. According to reports, petrol prices in Delhi rose to Rs 90.58 per litre while diesel prices in the national capital increased to Rs 80.97 per litre. Petrol prices in Mumbai surpassed the Rs 97 per litre while diesel soared to Rs 87.06 per litre.

The latest war of words between the BJP and Congress come as former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath had on Friday called for a shutdown against the rising fuel prices. 

Urging all to support the shutdown, the senior Congress leader claimed the people are highly disappointed with the rising fuel prices.