Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Monday saw yet another state-wide shutdown as educational institutions, offices and shops were all closed, leading to widespread discontentment among a cross-section of people.
The shutdown was called by the Left parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to protest the latest hike in petrol prices. For Thiruvananthapuram residents, this was the second shutdown in three days and the 18th if all the shutdowns in various parts of the state are taken into account.
There were reports of public property being attacked and innocent people being targeted.
People who landed up at the railway stations were at the receiving end when they found there was no way they could continue their journey as, barring two-wheelers, no other mode of transport was available.
"We have been on the train for the past two days and we have to go another 20km to reach our home. We came to attend a marriage of our close relative and now we have to remain here till 6pm in the railway station because of the shutdown. Please tell us what these people who have called a shutdown gained?" said a member of an angry family that was waiting at Thiruvananthapuram railway station.
This is the second statewide shutdown this year. On Saturday, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) had called for a district wide shutdown to protest alleged police excesses on their feeder organisations, after they burned two state government vehicles while protesting the petrol price hike on Friday.
Widespread damage to buses were reported yesterday. At Kollam, a private bus which was taking people to attend a marriage party was attacked.
The shutdown was called by the Left parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to protest the latest hike in petrol prices. For Thiruvananthapuram residents, this was the second shutdown in three days and the 18th if all the shutdowns in various parts of the state are taken into account.
There were reports of public property being attacked and innocent people being targeted.
People who landed up at the railway stations were at the receiving end when they found there was no way they could continue their journey as, barring two-wheelers, no other mode of transport was available.
"We have been on the train for the past two days and we have to go another 20km to reach our home. We came to attend a marriage of our close relative and now we have to remain here till 6pm in the railway station because of the shutdown. Please tell us what these people who have called a shutdown gained?" said a member of an angry family that was waiting at Thiruvananthapuram railway station.
This is the second statewide shutdown this year. On Saturday, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) had called for a district wide shutdown to protest alleged police excesses on their feeder organisations, after they burned two state government vehicles while protesting the petrol price hike on Friday.
Widespread damage to buses were reported yesterday. At Kollam, a private bus which was taking people to attend a marriage party was attacked.
