Accusing both NDA and Left parties of indulging in “sensationalism” over the issue of recent hike in fuel prices, the Congress on Monday termed the Bharat bandh called by Opposition parties a “complete flop”. The party claimed the nation-wide protest against fuel hike only received negative reaction. But both the NDA and the Left parties termed the bandh as an “unprecedented success” and said the protest against the issue would continue.

Speaking on the issue, AICC spokesperson Mr Abhishek Manu Singhvi said “Except for the state-sponsored initiatives in certain states where they are in power, there has been a complete flop, complete negative reaction against the bandh.” Mr Singhvi accused BJP of practising “double standard” in speaking with a “forked tongue” on the issue and reminded that prices of petroleum products were increased twenty five times during NDA rule.
However, apparently satisfied with the response they received for the bandh, the NDA said it would soon convene a meeting to chalk out their future course of action to take the issue from “sadak (road)” to “sansad (Parliament)”. The Left parties on the other hand threatened more protests both inside and outside Parliament if government do not roll back the hike in fuel prices. Both the Left parties and NDA claimed that the protest was beyond party affiliations. NDA convenor and JD(U) chief Mr Sharad Yadav said “The unity achieved on the street is the real unity. The fight against the government will continue.” He further said that “Prime Minister should either bring down prices or leave his chair.”
Senior BJP leader and NDA’s working chairman, Mr L.K. Advani thanked people for making the Bharat Bandh a “success.”
Today is an extremely gratifying development that opposition parties covering such a wide political spectrum to almost all other smaller parties, which are not co-sharers in government’s guilt of inflicting this burden of inflation on the aam admi have come together,” Mr Advani said. He also claimed that people in many parts “spontaneously” joined the nation-wide shutdown,
BJP chief Mr Nitin Gadkari blamed the “wrong economic policies and bad governance” of the government as the for basic reasons of price rise. In an effort to unite the entire opposition on the issue, Mr Gadkari said he did not believe in “political untouchability” and was willing to visit the office of any political party to discuss price rise.
But the Left parties maintained that though the issue was same, they were not on a common platform with the BJP during the bandh. Senior CPI(M) leader and party’s polibureau member Mr Sitaram Yechury said “The issue will rock Parliament if there is no roll back.” He said Left parties and other secular parties would discuss their future course of action. Mr Yechury claimed “We (Left and secular parties) first called the shutdown. After that the BJP announced their Bharat Bandh. We are moving separately.” Describing the strike as “unprecedented”, CPI(M) general secretary Mr Prakash Karat said it “shows the people’s anger against price rise.” He said the momentum of this strike will have to be carried forward because this is an issue which affects all sections of the people.
In a joint statement issued by CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP, these parties threatened to intensify the agitation if recent hike in fuel prices is not withdrawn.