Total bandh in Bidar.

The bandh, called by the NDA and other parties against the hike in diesel price and allowing FDI in multi-brand retail, on Thurday, was near-total in Bidar.

Several shops and private offices remained closed. The district administration had declared a holiday for schools.

NEKRTC bus services were withdrawn after operating for a few hours in the morning. Bharatiya Janata Party activists took out a rally and criticised the UPA government for making life difficult for the poor.

The former president of the zilla panchayat Kushal Patil Gadagi, district BJP general secretary Babu Wali, Rajkumar Chidri, Shivaputra Vaidya, and Shashi Hosalli joined the rally.

The Left parties held a rally at Bhagat Singh Circle. They said that the UPA government was adopting double standards and lying to the people.

The government had enough money to waive debts of corporate houses, claimed CPI leader Baburao Honna. “Increase in diesel price will lead to a rise in prices of all commodities,” he said.

Janata Dal (Secular) leaders Naseemoddin Patel, Shantling Sawalagi, D.K. Sidram, and Prabhurao Tarnalli joined the rally.

Members of the Jai Karnataka Rakshana Vedike carried empty cylinders on their backs to mark their protest against the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders.

More:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/article3920928.ece