Indian police used water canon and batons in Kashmir on Monday to disperse hundreds of government employees protesting over fuel price rises, while a general strike also shut down the northeastern state of Assam. Elsewhere in the country, though, life continued as normal as protests over last week's rise in fuel prices appeared to taper off. India increased petrol and diesel prices by around 10 percent last Wednesday, after the cost of subsidizing fuel in the face of record-breaking crude prices had brought state oil companies close to bankruptcy. In Kashmir, dozens of people were also detained after government employees gathered outside the office of the state's chief minister in the heart of Srinagar to protest against the fuel price rise. “Roll back price of petrol, diesel and cooking gas,” the protesters shouted before being dispersed by police. A four-day strike called by private transport operators demanding an increase in passenger fares and freight charges also forced thousands of people to walk to work. Officials said the government would deploy buses and other vehicles to offer rides after the strike threw about 75,000 vehicles off the roads across the state. In the northeastern state of Assam, tribal groups called a 12-hour shutdown, or bandh, on Monday accusing the government of inept handling of oil prices. Offices, banks, shops and schools were closed and traffic stayed off the road. “The government has no concern for the common people,” the coalition of tribal groups from Assam's hill areas said in a statement. “This will force tribals into starvation.” The strike seemed to enjoy popular support. “It is a genuine issue,” said Naba Pathak, a government clerk in Guwahati. “And people irrespective of caste, religion and political affiliation should support this bandh.” Landlocked in one of remotest regions, much of Assam's supplies come from outside and a rise in fuel prices has a ripple effect on the prices of essential goods.
