Bengaluru: A day-long Karnataka Bandh (state wide shutdown) called by several farmers, Dalits and pro-Kannada organisations against the passage of agriculture related Bills in Parliament on Monday saw protesters engaged in efforts to make it a success across the state.
Though the bundh evoke poor response in the morning, the momentum picked up in several parts of the state towards noon and no untowards incidents have been reported so far.
The bundh evoked good response in Northern parts and central Karnataka, while coastal belt and Old Mysuru region evoked poor response.
The Bandh call given by these organisations saw a successful execution in large parts of Karnataka except in districts like Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu and Udupi.
Both opposition parties Congress and JD(S) have extended their support to the Bandh call given by these organisations and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee was even participating in the Bandh by organising a protest in front of its state headquarters.
In a strong bid to discourage the state-wide shutdown, the Karnataka government had directed major transport corporations to keep open its operations, but in some districts like Belagavi, Dharwad where farmers and pro-Kannada activists hold sway seized bus stations not allowing movement of the vehicles.
Bengaluru city police commissioner, Kamal Panth through his Twitter asserted that the police had taken all measures and it will act tough on those who try to impose forced Bandh in the city.
In Hubballi, protesters sat on the road and tried to stop the buses amid statewide bandh today.
Some of the Karnataka Farmers’ organisation members were also seen giving flowers to shopkeepers, requesting them to support today’s statewide bandh.
JD(S) workers took out a bike rally in Shivamogga, as part of the bundh. However, they were stopped by Police at Lakshmi Theater circle. However, the bundh was not total even in Shivamogga as normal life remained unperturbed.
