New Delhi, Sept 10 (UNI) In a show of solidarity before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, more than 20 opposition parties came together to take on Narendra Modi government on Monday as they observed the Bharat Bandh against the rising prices of fuel and other essential commodities.
The main opposition Congress, led by party president Rahul Gandhi, didn't hesitate to lead from the front, going all out and leading the joint protest march in Delhi; while the other smaller opposition parties hit the streets in their respective states.
Though the Left parties supported the call by the Congress for bandh, they protested separately in Delhi and other states.
Despite declaring that Bandh will only lead to waste of working hours, the West Bengal ruling Trinamool Congress came out in support for the Congress – led joint protest in the national capital.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) too, sent its leaders Sanjay Singh and Atishi to the protests in Ramlila Maitan and Parliament street were Left parties orgainsed the protest, respectively.
Apart from Congress and Left parties, SP, BSP, NCP, TMC, DMK, RJD, RLD, NC, JMM, JVM, AAP, TDP and many other smaller parties like Kerala Congress (M), IUML, MNS, Loktantrik Janata Dal also joined the protest in various places across the country.
Addressing the protest, Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dividing country and maintaining a silence on rising petrol prices, falling rupee and corruption in his government like Rafale deal, and added that the people are fed up of Mr Modi and asserted that a united Opposition will defeat BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha election.
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh urged the political parties should keep aside their minor differences and work together to fight the BJP government and said “the time will come very soon to change the government”.
Left party members courted arrest at the protest march, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the ‘callous’ government allowed the fuel prices to soar, making lives of ordinary Indians impossible.
Addressing the protest, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar said that Modi government hiking fuel price is betraying people, and that it isa a beginning to oust the "anti-people" government in the coming Lok Sabha election.
“The power had gone into the wrong hands, and parties opposed to the government have to work together to remove it”, he said,.
Mr Pawar said all opposition parties should come together and bring about a change to protect the interests of people.
The former Union Minister alleged that those who are in power for the last four years had given an assurance to control the prices of commodities of daily use, but they failed to take any steps.
“The Prime Minister talked of his government's bravery, but this bravery is seeing in pulling down the rupee, raising fuel prices, and cooking gas prices." Mr Pawar added.

The veteran politician also digged at the BJP pointing out that the party did not remember former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee when he was alive, and that now they talk of him on a daily basis.
“If the BJP leaders wanted to pay real tribute to Late Vajpayee, they should follow his message”, he said.
Representing Trinamool Congress, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy accused that the Modi government is cheating people on every issues.
RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary alleged that whenever issues have comes up which is affecting common people’s life, the BJP leaders were silent.

RSP leader and Lok Sabha member N.K. Premachandran said that on Bharat Bandh, protest by various political parties is a sign that the entire country is agitating against the ruling government’s ‘anti-people’ policies.
UNI KNA SY 1922