IMPHAL: The state came to a grinding halt on Thursday with Congress's Bharat Bandh against the steep rise in fuel prices.Former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh led Congress members in the protest rally on the streets of Imphal . "The steep price of fuel we have now is lower than the price of crude oil - this can only mean that the government at the Centre is looting public money," Ibobi said."We will fight democratically like anything. This Narendra Modi government should not be allowed to continue," he added.The protesters blocked the Langjing Achouba road along National Highway 37, connecting Imphal and Jiribam, the lifeline of the state.Congress workers came out on to the streets in various parts of the state and staged road blockades.Along with workers, Manipur Congress spokesperson P Sharatchandra staged a protest at the Sangakpham area under Heingang ,the home constituency of chief minister N Biren Singh, in Imphal East district.Chief coordinator of the bandh in Manipur, Bhubaneswar Kalita said, "Congress will always take up the fight against the anti-people policies of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the state."Owing to the strike, business establishments at Khwairamband market in the city were closed.Educational institutions remained shut and inter-state and inter-district passenger services were stopped. Though government offices were open, attendance was low.Congress MLA AK Mirabai Devi led the party's protest at Patsoi, her home constituency in Imphal West."Our key demand is to slash down the sky rocketed prices of essential petroleum products like petrol, diesel and LPG and other commodities. We will continue to agitate until the prices are cut down," the MLA said.The newly-formed committee of all political parties, an apex body of different Left and other like-minded parties of the state, also lent their support to the strike.

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