Bhubaneswar: The six-hour Odisha bandh called by Left parties Thursday against hike in fuel prices was peaceful and evoked a mixed response from public.
Activists of CPI, CPI(M), CPI(M-L) and Forward Bloc blocked roads and railway tracks in different parts of the state. The protest disrupted train services at the Bhubaneswar railway station as the bandh supporters demonstrated on the tracks.
While major markets and malls remained shut due to the bandh, which began at 6 am and continued till 12 pm, smaller roadside shops were seen open.
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In Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, some of the petrol pumps, banks, central and state government offices remained closed. However, the state secretariat operated with thin attendance, officials said.
The state government made elaborate security arrangements across the state in view of the bandh. However, there was no report of any untoward incident, a senior police officer said.
Commuters faced inconvenience amid traffic snarls owing to road blockade by many groups of agitators. Hundreds of vehicles, including trucks, remained stranded on national highway in Bhubaneswar.
CPI(M) leader Suresh Panigrahi said the people of Odisha supported the bandh spontaneously.
“The BJP-led government at the Centre and Odisha’s BJD government should get a clear message that the common man has totally rejected their fuel price hike,” he said.
The Odisha unit of Congress party had also extended its support to the state-wide bandh call, requesting all people to boycott petroleum products. The party urged consumers not to buy petrol and diesel at least Thursday, as a mark of protest against hike in the prices.
PNN & Agencies