TNI Bureau: The nationwide shutdown disrupted the normal life across the country affecting the railway and transport system on Thursday. The roads were blocked and effigies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leaders were burnt.

While Congress claimed that the bandh evoked mixed response across the country, the strike was intense in the states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Gujarat.

The BJP protesters blocked the roads and burnt the effigies of the Congress leaders and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In many places in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, women were seen agitating against the Centre’s decision on FDI in retail and diesel price hike.

The bandh called by the NDA and Left parties was also observed by Samajwadi Party, JD(S), TDP, and DMK. The SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Left leaders Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan were arrested from Jantar Mantar for protesting against the government.

Political parties like BJP, SP, Left, JD(S), TDP leaders were seen together against government’s decision on FDI in retail, diesel price rise and cap on LPG cylinders. Besides, Mulayam and Karat, other prominent leaders including Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), Chandrababu Naidu of TDP and Deve Gowda courted arrest today.

BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu has been arrested in Hyderabad, Yeddyurappa and Ananth Kumar have been arrested in Bangalore for protesting against the government.

Even though, the ruling BJD had stayed away from observing a day-long bandh in Odisha, the protest against the Centre had been reported in the state capital and many districts excluding the western region.