Despite protests, Gurugram unaffected by Bharat Bandh

With police personnel deployed across the city to maintain law and order, markets remained open, transport services were functional and no untoward incidents were reported from anywhere in the city.

Life in Gurugram remained unaffected as workers of the Congress party, its allies and Left parties protested as part of Bharat Bandh, a countrywide protest against spiraling prices of fuel, on Monday.

Police personnel keep vigil during Monday’s Bharat Bandh, in Gurugram. (Yogendra Kumar/HT Photo)

With police personnel deployed across the city to maintain law and order, markets remained open, transport services were functional and no untoward incidents were reported from anywhere in the city.

“There was no major impact of Bharat Bandh on the traffic. All our manpower was deployed on the streets. The traffic was usual Monday morning traffic, but nothing additional because of the Bandh,” said Gurugram Police public relation officer Subhash Boken.

Congress leaders attributed the lukewarm response to the statewide bandh called on Saturday by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

This shutdown, they said, was observed by most traders and business establishments in Sadar Bazar, the political nerve centre of the city that houses offices of many political parties.

Around 200 Congress workers and leaders gathered at their party office in Kaman Sarai and marched to Sadar Bazar, Sohna Chowk and back. Carrying placards and flags, the workers shouted slogans against the BJP and accused the party of breaking electoral promises made in 2014.

The protest in Gurugram was led by several key Congress leaders including Yashpal Batra, Manish Khatana, Pooja Sharma and others.

“Petrol prices have increased abnormally, Rafale is a major scam, and the government has done nothing to help the common people. The strike was successful across Haryana, although the recent bandhs in the state did impact it slightly,” Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar said.

A handful of left parties including the CPI (M), the CPI and the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) also protested against the government’s alleged failure to check inflation, bank scams, lack of employment and support to big business houses.

“The farmers and workers of the country are suffering due to the pro-business policies of this government,” said comrade SL Prajapati of the CPI (M).

In a press statement, senior BJP leader GL Sharma said, the people of Gurugram rejected the bandh call as “the people were satisfied by steps taken by state and central governments. They rejected the false allegations made by the opposition parties.”

On Tuesday, Congress party workers will hand over a memorandum to Gurugram deputy commissioner regarding the Rafale scam.