Bharat Bandh fails to evoke much response in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla, Dec 8 (PTI) The 'Bharat Bandh' call given by farmer unions against the Centre's agri laws failed to evoke much response in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, with most shops and business establishments open and majority of buses operating. However, the Congress and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) held separate dharnas on the road in state capital Shimla and other districts

In Shimla, most of the shops were open on Mall road, middle and lower bazaar and other areas. Congress workers led by their state president Kuldeep Singh Rathore staged dharna on the circular road outside their office around noon. Several Left organisations led by the CITU staged dharna near Victory Tunnel. However, authorities diverted traffic. In Hamirpur, all shops and business establishments functioned normally. Buses and taxis plied as usual. However, the number of passengers was less

Workers of the Congress and Left organised processions and dharnas at Gandhi Chowk and outside the district courts here in support of the farmers' demands. They demanded an immediate withdrawal of all the three new farm laws, terming them as ''anti-farmers''. PTI DJI CORR DVDV