We haven’t called for bandh, says Yeddyurappa

B.S. Yeddyurappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, has changed tack on the proposed Karnataka bandh (barring Bengaluru) on Monday over the government not yet taking a stand on the promise of farm loan waiver. He said on Saturday that it was not the BJP that had called for a bandh, but it was only “supporting a voluntary bandh call” being observed by farmers. This comes a day after he, while speaking in the House, threatened a bandh on Monday if the government failed to waive farm loans by then. He even made a media statement calling on people to voluntarily close business on Monday. However, a farmers’ union that The Hindu spoke to said they had not given a call for bandh. In fact, they said all the three political parties were needlessly politicising the issue. Sources in the BJP said a decision was taken to not officially call for a bandh, but would lead agitations in all district centres on Monday and support a bandh.

“There will be a bandh and agitations across the State, except in Bengaluru as polling in R.R. Nagar Assembly segment will be held on Monday,” a senior leader said.