THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dawn-to-dusk hartal called by LDF and UDF together as a protest against the fuel price hike has begun in the state. The national leadership of Congress has also called for a ‘Bharath Bandh’ from 9 am to 3 pm. Private vehicles are plenty on road. Hotels and restaurants remain closed. All essential services such as milk, newspaper and hospital have been exempted from the hartal. LDF convenor A Vijayaraghavan and KPCC president M M Hassan have said that the disaster relief activities will not be disrupted by hartal. The tourism department has also been exempted from hartal.

Several motor vehicle labourers’ unions have requested people to protest against the fuel price hike by participating in the hartal.