Normal life hit; LJP chief courts arrests

The state-wide bandh called by the RJD-LJP combine on Saturday against price rise and ‘failure’ of the Nitish Kumar government threw normal life out of gear with stray incidents of violence reported from various parts of the state.

The state-wide bandh called by the RJD-LJP combine on Saturday against price rise and ‘failure’ of the Nitish Kumar government threw normal life out of gear with stray incidents of violence reported from various parts of the state.

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A total of 11,317 persons were arrested. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and RJD leader Ramkripal Yadav were among hundreds of RJD-LJP activists who courted arrest.

Train services were hit while vehicular traffic remained off the roads especially on state and national highway due to bandh supporters squatting on Patna-Gaya, Chapra railway line and putting up blockades.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, described the bandh as a “success” and as a “total expression” of the public anger against price rise. “The response is unprecedented. We will continue our agitation against price rise and corruption in Nitish Kumar government in the days to come,” the two said.

Lalu and Paswan also slammed the Congress blaming it for price rise and inflation. “We had not participated in the NDA sponsored bandh on July 5 as we did not want to be associated with communal elements,” Lalu said.

However, NDA leaders and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar dubbed the bandh a “flop show”.