JOIN USBandh: Widespread protests in Bengaluru, but life goes on as usual
The Karnataka bandh announced by farmers’ organisations in protest against agricultural laws passed by Parliament passed off peacefully on Monday as most citizens remained indifferent to the cause. Barring traffic disruptions in core areas of the city, no untoward incident was reported.
The bandh was targeted at the BJP, which is in power both in the state and at the Centre. The state government had already warned against forcible shutdowns.
Farmer organisations and activists held demonstrations at traditional protest venues of Town Hall, Majestic and Mysore Bank Circle as well as in many other parts of the city. While the protests attracted sizable crowds, normal life went on as usual as police had tightened security.
Around 2,500 farmers and activists assembled in front of Town Hall and set out for a rally towards Mysore Bank Circle around 11.30 am. Police allowed the protesters to stay put there until 2.30 pm but quickly evicted them afterwards.
By 3 pm, about 300 protesters were detained and the place was cleared. The protesters were hauled up to the CAR-headquarters ground on Mysuru Road and the CAR (South) ground in Madiwala before being released around 5 pm.
A large group of farmers and activists led a bike rally from Sumanahalli in western Bengaluru to Town Hall. In KR Puram, farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar took part in a protest organised by a pro-Kannada organisation.
Police didn’t allow the protesters to take out a rally until Town Hall, citing lack of permission. Fearing detention, Chandrashekar dropped the rally plan and drove to Town Hall.
Activists of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged protests at the bus depot in Yelahanka New Town but police whisked them away to the CAR (North) ground. This apart, two pro-Kannada organisations staged protests on Kanakapura Road, around 150 people protested in Devanahalli, 40 at Malleswaram Circle, 60 at Maurya Circle, 70 in Konanakunte, 100 in front of the BBMP office in KR Puram and about 30 in Bagalagunte. There was also a protest in Yeshwantpur.
Around 350 Congress party workers, including KPCC president D K Shivakumar, took out a rally from the Congress Bhavan on Race Course Road to Raj Bhavan to meet the governor.
Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said there was no untoward incident and that no case was registered related to the bandh.
Traffic jams
Traffic was affected badly in prime areas, including the CBD, until 4 pm, mainly as the domino effect of the protests at Town Hall and Mysore Bank Circle.
There were traffic jams in and around Ambedkar Veedhi, Majestic, City Market, JC Road, Corporation Circle, KR Circle, Richmond Circle and on the Outer Ring Road in Sumanahalli and KR Puram. The disruptions began as early as around 10 am as protesters had slept on many roads and stopped vehicles.
Around 11.30 am, traffic almost came to a halt in the CBD due to the rally at Mysore Bank Circle. The protesters at Mysore Bank Circle, however, made way for ambulances.