The Federation of Mysore Traders Association comprising 13 organisations has refused to back the State bandh called on December 5 by pro-Kannada organisations.
The bandh has been called to protest the setting up of Maratha Development Authority announced by the Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa and for which ₹50 crore has been sanctioned.
The trade organisations said they support the cause but cannot support a bandh at this juncture when the economy was just beginning to limp back to normalcy after the prolonged lockdown due to the pandemic.
Prashanth of Mysore Travel Association said the tourism and travel industry was the first to be affected by the pandemic-induced lockdown and will be the last to recover. At a time when the sector is witnessing a revival and domestic tourists have started making inquiries, a bandh cannot be supported. Being a weekend, a lot of tourists are expected to Mysuru and it was imperative for the sector to cash in on the domestic tourist footfall.
The mere announcement of the bandh has driven away a sizeable section of the visitors who are now keen to visit Ooty and Wayanad instead, said Mr. Prashanth.
The Federation said tourism generated direct employment to nearly 60,000 to 80000 people apart from generating indirect jobs manifold that number. “The entire community is in the doldrums and is yet to recover from the lockdown and hence this bandh cannot be supported’’, it added
The members of the Federation said they were all Kannadigas and were supportive of the cause but there are other forms of protest to register their voice and concern and bandh was not the answer. ‘’The loss to the government exchequer will be manifold the amount sanctioned for the Maratha Development Board’’, said the Federation.
The members of the Federation include Mysore Travels Association, Hotel Owners Association, Mysuru District Guides Association, Mysuru Region Petroleum Dealers Association, Mysuru District Distributors Association and Devaraj Urs Road Traders Association.
