This one could go on the list of few things we normally 'like to learn' from our neighboring country.

Indian parties fined for strike

By Zubair Ahmed
BBC correspondent in Bombay



The strike was called in protest at a bus blast that killed three
India's Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally, Shiv Sena, have been ordered to pay compensation for a strike they called in Bombay (Mumbai) last year.
The Bombay High Court on Friday instructed the parties to pay two million rupees ($43,200) each in compensation for losses incurred.

The parties had called the strike in protest at a bomb attack on 30 July.

Litigation was brought by a group of prominent citizens for compensation. The parties say they will appeal.


'Spontaneous'

A two-member bench of the High Court said the compensation money would be paid into a fund to be used for public utility services.

Bombay citizens largely welcomed the decision. They say strikes called by political parties disrupt normal life, bringing the country's financial capital to a standstill.

The BJP and Shiv Sena say calling strikes is the right of political parties in a democracy.

They maintained the strike was called spontaneously in protest at a bus bomb that killed three people.

The parties will take the case to the Supreme Court.

The citizens bringing the lawsuit had demanded 50m rupees in compensation. They claimed the city's businesses suffered heavy losses.