The Bharat Bandh on Tuesday, called by farmers’ organisations demanding repeal of the three farm laws, saw several commercial establishments in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts downing shutters in the morning and protests by political parties.
However, hotels, industries, and vegetable and flower markets functioned as usual and there was no disruption in bus service.
Sources said the support for the Bharat Bandh was almost total in Singanallur and Hope College Junction in Coimbatore, where members of political parties supporting the strike had asked shop owners to down shutters. A Congress leader said the party workers went around Hope College Junction asking shop owners to extend support.
In the core business district, the daily vegetable market, T.K. Market, remained opened and so were the wholesale, MGR Market, and retail, Anna Market. About 50 % of the micro industries had stopped production. Several shops had downed shutters in the morning hours and resumed business in the afternoon.
Members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) staged a road roko outside the Coimbatore Railway Station.
They raised slogans demanding the withdrawal of the three farm laws. Following the road roko, the Race Course police arrested about 71 SDPI members and released them in the evening. The DMK that had planned for a protest did not hold one, said sources.
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadre led by the party’s Coimbatore urban unit secretary R.R. Mohankumar staged a protest in front of the party office on V.K.K. Menon Road.
Left party members staged a protest at Hope College. At Annur, Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan led the protest.
An official from the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation said bus services were not affected. A total of 463 town buses and 240 mofussil buses were operated in Coimbatore district on Tuesday, he said.
President of Coimbatore District Association of All Auto Rickshaw Workers Union P.K. Sukumaran claimed that around 8,000 autorickshaws were off the roads in the city from 6 a.m. in response to the Bandh. However, the drivers gradually resumed the services in the afternoon, he said.
According to Coimbatore District Police, around 301 members from various parties and outfits were detained for staging road rokos in the district and were released later.
In Periyanaickenpalayam, the police detained four DMK men who were allegedly forcing shop owners to shut their establishments in the area. They were later released.
The Tiruppur City Police said that around 65% of the commercial establishments downed shutters in the morning and resumed functioning after 2 p.m.
As many as 600 police personnel were deployed within the city police limits, particularly at Central government offices, railway station and other public places, the police said.
The city police also conducted inquiries regarding allegations of CPI members forcing a garment company in Angeripalayam to close for the Bandh. The CPI members staged a dharna outside and the garment company agreed to close till the afternoon, according to the police.
Parts of Tiruppur district such as Dharapuram and Kangeyam also saw most of the shops and other establishments remaining closed on Tuesday morning.
In the Nilgiris, protesters belonging to Opposition parties staged protests at 14 places. Police officials said that protests were held in Udhagamandalam, Coonoor, Kotagiri, Gudalur and Pandalur, with around 200 protesters being arrested. There was no major disruptions caused by the protests which continued throughout the day.
Many shops and businesses in Udhagamandalam, Kotagiri and Coonoor remained opened, but there was almost a complete shutdown in Gudalur town, officials said. Most of the shops in the Ooty Municipal Market too remained opened.
(With inputs from Karthik Madhavan, R. Akileish, M. Soundariya Preetha and Rohan Premkumar)