The Left parties on Tuesday said the nationwide strike call against price rise had met with a big response in most parts of the country and reflected the anger and discontent among the people at the failure of the Manmohan Singh government on this front.
The 12-hour strike was called by 13 non-UPA, non-NDA parties as a mark of solidarity with the people. MPs belonging to the parties held a protest outside the main entrance of Parliament and later stalled proceedings in both Houses.
Congratulating the people who responded to the call, the Communist Party of India said it was a vivid example of the common man's indignation and discontent.
The strike owed its success to the united action of those who made it their common cause.
In a statement, the party Central Secretariat said the UPA government should take the public mood into account and take the necessary steps that the Left and other parties have been proposing all along.
It added that the parties would soon meet to decide the next step to force the government to act.
The All-India Forward Bloc said the people who were suffering came forward spontaneously in various parts of the country to make the strike a success.
In a statement, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said the response was complete in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, Orissa, Kerala and Tripura.
In Andhra Pradesh, the response was positive all over the State, with the strike being partial in Hyderabad.
In Tamil Nadu, there was strike all over the State, with Chennai having a partial bandh. In West Bengal, there was a total stoppage of work and movement of traffic. All cities and town markets in U.P. were closed and rail and road traffic was affected in many places.
The CPI(M) said there was a total strike in all the districts in Bihar.
Rail and road traffic was disrupted due to a rail and road blockade.
Markets, commercial establishments and educational institutions remained closed.
In Jharkhand, markets were closed and rail and road traffic came to a halt. Several State government offices remained closed.
