'Govt carefree, eyes shut:' Rahul Gandhi shares couplet over Bharat Bandh; lists reasons

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday extended his support to the Bharat Bandh with a short 4-line couplet sharing the reasons behind the day-long nationwide strike. "No employment, High inflation, Government is carefree, eyes closed, Hence- Bharat Bandh," tweeted Rahul Gandhi. 

Read: Bharat Bandh: Commercial Markets To Remain Shut; Traders Protest Against Fuel Prices, GST

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CAIT calls for nationwide strike 

Earlier today, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) called for a day-long nationwide strike against the Goods and Services Tax (GST), fuel price hike, and E-Way bill. Demanding an assessment of the provisions of the GST regime, it announced that all commercial markets will remain shut. CAIT's Secretary-General Praveen Khandelwal said that there have been more than 950 amendments to GST in the last 4 years which increased the burden on traders. Their demand is to abolish the stringent provisions of GST and simplify the process.

In a statement, CAIT said that over 8 crore traders belonging to more than 40,000 trade associations across the country will witness the 'Bharat Vyapar Bandh'. The 'traders strike' was organized at about 1500 places across the country including Delhi during which traders were asked to refrain from logging in to the GST portals.

The All India Transport Welfare Association (AITWA)- an apex body of the organized road transportation companies and several farm unions protesting the new Farm Laws also decided to extend support with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) appealing to the farmers to join the protest 'peacefully'.

Wholesale and retail markets had been asked to remain completely closed. Shops catering to the needs of the people in residential colonies were also asked to remain shut. Moreover, sit-in demonstrations were also organized in different cities of all the states. Transport offices had also declared that there would be no transportation activities between 6 am to 8 pm. 

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