Bharat bandh begins in Bihar

The opposition-sponsored Bharat bandh against FDI in multi-brand retail and diesel price hike began this morning with protesters disrupting road and train services across Bihar.

A group of BJP workers blocked rail traffic at Patna junction and stopped movement of a number of long distance express and passenger trains, official sources said.

The protesters shouted slogans against the UPA government at the Centre demanding roll back of FDI in multi-brand retail and diesel price hike.

There were reports of road blockade and disruption in train services from several districts from Bihar, the sources said.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made and large number of policemen deployed on the street in Patna and other parts of the state, they said.

There was no (no) report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the state.

Sharad Yadav steps up attack on govt over retail FDI

Sharpening attack on Government over its decision to bring FDI in multi-brand retail, JD-U President Sharad Yadav today asked Congress to remove Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for this "attack on the bread of butter of 25 crore people".

Addressing a public meeting during the bandh called by NDA, Left parties and SP to protest against the measures, Yadav backed senior BJP leader L K Advani's earlier contention that the trust vote won by UPA I in 2008 was "illegitimate".

"During the time of nuclear deal, they (the UPA) weaned away six member from BJP and one from our party. The then government survived by breaking other parties. Government could continue only due to this. When L K Advani said it was illegitimate, Congress President Sonia Gandhi got angry. But that is the truth," Yadav said.

Yadav hit out at the Prime Minister, saying his decision on FDI is an attack on the bread of butter of 25 crore people of the country engaged in retail business.

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