India acts to rescue economy

Police officers stand guard on the Howrah bridge in preparation for smooth traffic flow during the nationwide strike in Kolkata on May 31, 2012. India's opposition parties held a nationwide strike May 31, vowing to shut down the country in protest against steep petrol price rises announced the previous week. Political parties and trade unions planned anti-government marches, roadblocks and pickets outside government offices to focus anger on the administration of embattled Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.