Raipur, Feb 13 (IANS) Normal life was hit in Chhattisgarh Saturday with schools and businesses closed and buses off roads as the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for a day-long strike to protest against rising food prices, for which it blamed the central government.
Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other traders and social organisations backed the strike, holding the Congress-led central government solely responsible for the rise in prices. Congress has, however, termed it a ‘political farce’ by BJP.

Roads wore a deserted look in state capital Raipur, industrial towns of Bhilai, Raigarh and Korba.

Schools and petrol pumps were closed, buses off the roads and shopkeepers and business establishments kept their shutters down. Armed with sticks, BJP supporters forced traders and shopkeepers to join the shutdown at various places.

The BJP supporters and police clashed at a few places at the state capital here this morning. Most people preferred to remain indoors.

There was a mixed response to the shutdown in Bilaspur, Jagdalpur and Ambikapur towns and in villages, according to reports reaching here.