The BJP government on Monday, September 10 came out strongly against the nationwide shutdown being observed by the Congress and other opposition parties. Addressing the media, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the nationwide bandh has affected the lives of the people of the country and said that the Congress was holding the countrywide shutdown in an irresponsible manner.
Siting the case of a three-year-old dying in Bihar's Jahanabad due to stoppage of her ambulance by protestors, the minister asked who was responsible for the sad incident. He said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi was responsible behind the death of the child and that he should apologise for calling the bandh.
The SDO of Jehanabad, Paritosh Kumar, clarified on reports of the death of the child and said, "The death of the 3-year-old is not related to bandh or traffic jam. The relatives had left late from their home and the baby died after the vehicle was stuck in traffic."
Defending the ruling BJP government, Prasad said that the prices of fuel were not under the control of the government as the entire world is faced with fuel crisis. He said that Iran is bound by the sanctions imposed by America while major oil producing countries such as Venezuela were facing political unstability.
Speaking about the manufacturing of shell gas in America, he said that it has not begun yet which has also resulted in the fuel price rise. He said that the petroleum needs of the global world are under restrictions today. He said that the government was not giving any justifications on the fuel rise but instead condemning the shutdown which has lead to violence. He said that the party stands with the people and their problems.
"We respect the right to protest in a democracy but we fail to understand why is the congress taking the route of violence. We never get down to violence and today we saw that the common man is suffering inconviniece due to the bandh. Even the medical shops are closed which are affecting the ill," he said adding that the fuel price rise was just a momentary problem. He said that inflation was much higher during the UPA regime and the current government has kept it under control.
Giving the examples of violence in Patna, Ujjain and other cities that has been witnessed on Monday in wake of the shutdown, he blamed the congress for carrying out a violent protest.
The Congress has been leading the nationwide bandh on Monday, September 10 against the inflation in fuel prices. The Congress is being supported by opposition parties like DMK, NCP, RJD and JD(S) while the party has also requested civil society groups and NGOs to support the nationwide protest.
