Party activists gathered at various places in the morning and blocked traffic near Manimajra (at Sukhna bridge), Dadu Majra and Khuda Lahora villages and in Sector 45. Most blockades were lifted around noon, and traffic had to be diverted to other routes.

Police personnel were deployed in large numbers and no untoward incident was reported.

Besides rising prices, the BSP workers were protesting the non-issuance of Scheduled Caste and Backward Class certificates. They appealed to the Chandigarh Administration to simplify the procedure of issuing SC certificates and remove the condition of 20 to 30 years of proof reasonable period. "This is a long pending demand of weaker sections and the Administration has been sitting on it," BSP local unit president M R Dhiman said.

Another demand was an end to the contract system for getting government buildings/public places cleaned as the safai mazdoors engaged by contractors were being "exploited". They were not being paid the minimum wages approved by the government and were being victimised and thrown out of jobs, he alleged. Dhiman said the encouraging aspect was the involvement of people. "Since the issue was high prices, which concerns everyone, many of them joined us in raising slogans," he added. There were, however, reports of some commuters being forcibly prevented from breaching the traffic blockade.

Besides Dhiman, the rallies were addressed by vice-presidents Sohan Lal and Gurdev Singh, general secretary Nirmal Singh, and office-secretaries Makwara and Ajit.