Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a state wide strike to protest against price rise. Schools, offices, businesses have all closed down in support of the strike.The strike seems to have support from all sectors with even the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and other traders and social organisations supporting the strike wholly. There were a couple of traders, though, who wished to carry on with their everyday work but their establishments were forcefully shutdown by BJP activists armed with sticks.

 

The BJP and all sections of the city supporting the strike seem to blame the Congress for the inflation. The congress, however, called it a 'political farce' by the BJP.

 

The police and BJP did have a clash at certain places in Raipur and majority of the public remained indoors.

 

State Capital Raipur and towns Bhilai, Raigarh and Korba were totally shut down with deserted roads whereas Bilaspur, Jagdalpur, Ambikapur and a couple of villages showed mixed reactions to the protest.