Ahmedabad: The Congress’ call for general strike in the state against the Vibrant Gujarat event received a mixed response today.
Several Congress leaders including MLAs were detained during protests; party workers blocked roads at many places including Ahmedabad city. Two city transport buses were also damaged, allegedly by Congress workers, here.
Congress had called for the bandh criticising the expenditure on the annual investor summit ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ (to start from tomorrow) at a time when farmers were suffering because of low minimum support prices of cotton and groundnut.
The party had, however, exempted the four major cities of Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara from the call for strike.
Reports from Saurashtra region said there was a total bandh in the districts of Porbandar, Amreli and Junagadh.
Congress MLA from Amreli Paresh Dhanani was arrested alongwith over 100 supporters. Dhrol-Jodia MLA Raghavji Patel was also arrested with his supporters in the Jamnagar district while trying to enforce the bandh, police said.
In the north and south Gujarat, the call for bandh received a partial response. In Narmada district in south Gujarat, around 40 party workers were detained.
Congress workers also burnt cotton on the roads at many places.
“Our call for bandh at villages and small towns and cities received a good response. Several party workers and MLAs were arrested,” said Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi.
