Bharat Bandh: BJP says Congress spreading fear; asks will Rahul take responsibility for two-year-old's death

As Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday led the party's Bharat Bandh march in New Delhi to corner Prime Minister Narendra Modi over relentless hike in fuel prices, the ruling BJP launched a scathing attack on the Opposition for “creating an atmosphere of fear” among the common people with the nationwide strike.

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi made fun of Opposition's grand alliance, saying "their 'Mahagatbandhan' balloon will burst soon," according to ANI.

"Bharat will not be 'bandh', it will keep moving and progressing. No one is paying heed to this call by Congress," Naqvi added.

'Bharat' will not be 'bandh', it will keep moving and progressing. No one is paying heed to this call by Congress, their 'Mahagatbandhan' balloon will also burst soon: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi,Union Minister pic.twitter.com/tKwQpemUuN

— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2018

In a bid to criticise the Congress's strategy and leadership qualities, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "Frustrated opposition doesn't have any strategy and leadership, what else can be expected from them?".

"I hope God gives them sense so they can differentiate between positive & negative otherwise in future they will even lose their position as Opposition," Yogi added.

Frustrated opposition doesn't have any strategy and leadership,what else can be expected from them? I hope God gives them sense so they can differentiate between positive & negative otherwise in future they will even lose their position as Oppn: UP CM Yogi Adityanath #BharatBandh pic.twitter.com/SJUvp52h2u

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 10, 2018

Read | Bharat Bandh LIVE: BJP cries foul; frustrated Opposition has no strategy, says Yogi Adityanath

Referring to a heart-breaking tragedy that took place during the September 10 Bharat Bandh protest, Union Minister for Law and Justice and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "A child died after an ambulance was stuck in the protests in Bihar's Jehanabad. Who is responsible?".

Everyone has a right to protest but what is happening today? Petrol pumps and buses being set ablaze, putting to risk lives. A child died after an ambulance was stuck in the protests in Bihar's Jehanabad. Who is responsible?: Ravi Shankar Prasad,Union Minister #BharatBandh pic.twitter.com/UfvTn2P84U

— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2018

"Everyone has a right to protest but what is happening today? Petrol pumps and buses being set ablaze, putting to risk lives," Prasad said, condemning the incidents of violence during the Bharat Bandh protests.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, meanwhile, asked the prime minister to direct the petroleum minister to think as a part of Economic Affairs Ministry rather than thinking as a petroleum minister. He also urged the ministry to stop setting prices so high that people can go to the point of revolt.

Talking about the reason behind this record-breaking price of petrol and diesel, Swamy further said, "When crude oil price rises the price of fuel must be raised is microeconomics and I am not in favour of microeconomics as it involves only two persons (buyer and seller) but here the whole economy is involved so it is a macroeconomics".

Read | Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi 'silence' on rising fuel prices; gives wake-up call ahead of 2019 elections

I feel that the macroeconomic price for petrol is Rs 40 and somehow the PM must ask the Petroleum Minister to think as a part of Economic Affairs Ministry& not as Petroleum minister and stop setting prices so high that people can go to the point of revolt: Subramanian Swamy, BJP pic.twitter.com/fwJ7b2lbmv

— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2018

The Congress in collaboration with other Opposition parties, including the Left parties, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Trinamool Congress Party (TMCP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagha (DMK) intensified its Bharat Bandh march on Monday to protest against the rising prices of petrol, diesel, cooking gas as well with other essential commodities across India.

The Oppositions want the Narendra Modi government at the Centre to bring petrol and diesel under the Goods and Services Tax (GST)- a move that can reduce the fuel prices by Rs 15-18 per litre.