Poor response to bandh call in Karnataka

The BJP’s appeal to farmers and the public to “voluntarily observe” a bandh on Monday demanding farm loan waiver from nationalised banks evoked poor response across the State.

However, former Chief Minister and State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa claimed the bandh was successful. Setting a week’s deadline for the government to take a decision on farm loan waiver, he alleged that the government had “misused” police force to arrest protesting BJP activists.

Reports from across the State said normal life was not affected with schools and colleges, as well as public transport services, functioning normally through the day. In Mysuru, BJP leaders, including MP Pratap Simha and MLAs S.A. Ramdas and L. Nagendra, were arrested after they staged demonstrations in different parts of the city. In most parts of Hyderabad Karnataka region, shops, trading outlets at APMC yards, cinema halls, petrol stations, government and private offices, educational institutions, banks, and other business establishments functioned normally. In some parts, newly elected representatives and local leaders were found leading their supporters in small protests.

In Raichur, activists led by Shivaraj Patil, MLA, tried in vain to convince the shopkeepers in areas near the APMC yard to shut shop. In Deodurg, Shivanagouda Naik and his supporters blocked a road for a while.

However, in Yadgir, KSRTC buses were off the roads after 10 a.m. and many shops were closed. A human chain was formed in Shahapur to express solidarity with the cause.

In Kolar, except for some protests staged by party functionaries, the bandh failed to evoke any response from the public. The Udupi-Mangaluru bus service, considered as the lifeline of Udupi district, was unaffected.

Similarly, there was poor response to the bandh call in Chitradurga and Davangere. While some shops and business outlets remained closed in Chitradurga, BJP workers took out a procession and staged a dharna at Vanaki Obavva Circle. In Davangere, some BJP leaders, including G.M. Siddeshwar and MLA S.A. Ravindranath, staged a protest at Jayadev Circle. At least 42 BJP workers, including the duo, were taken into preventive custody and later released.

There was no bandh called in Bengaluru city in view of the polling in Rajarajeshwari Nagar segment.