Bharat Bandh: Eonomic activities halted

Commercial activities in BJP and the Left ruled states came to a standstill and road transport was thrown out of gear by the nation-wide bandh called by the opposition against the hike in fuel prices,industry said.

8220;Commercial and economic activities in major parts of the country have come to a halt,8221; industry body Assocham said,adding manufacturing activities have also been affected in several states,including Gujarat,Maharashtra, West Bengal,Kerala,Karnataka,Madhya Pradesh,Punjab,Uttrakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

8220;Attendance in commercial organisations is very thin,8221; Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said.

A spokesperson of an export promotion council said that the strike affected normal business activities and also impeded movement of export cargo.

8220;Truck services are virtually suspended and movements of goods through roads is almost negligible as political activists are on roads to make Bharat bandh call a complete success,8221; sources said.