NDA, other parties call for Bharat Bandh on Sept 20

The BJP-led NDA would hold a nationwide strike on September 20 against diesel price hike and decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail. The Bharat Bandh call was announced after a meeting of NDA leaders at the residence of its working chairman L K Advani on Saturday.

“The Congress has announced decisions like FDI in retail only to divert attention from rampant corruption in the country. We demand Prime Minister’s resignation. To protest against the government’s decision and policies, a Bharat Bandh has been called on September 20,” said Advani, after the meeting.

The meeting was attended by senior BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar and Gopinath Munde, apart from Shiv Sena’s Anant Geete and Sanjay Raut, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Naresh Gujral and Ram Sundar Das of the Janata Dal (United).

The decision to call a bandh was taken in consultation with Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states.

Briefing reporters, Advani dared the government to call for an early election and see if its decisions had people’s support. “The present decision on FDI in retail was taken, bypassing the Parliament, Chief Ministers, political parties and the people at large. The people are not going to take the decision lying down,” he added.

Advani also said the NDA leaders had talked “informally” to other political parties. “I think the September 20 strike will be spontaneous and successful... This is a betrayal of thousands of traders in the country,” Advani said.