JOIN USBandh near total in districts, commuters suffer
The bandh call given by various political parties, including the BJP, and other organisations to protest against the hike in petrol prices evoked good response in the city while it evoked mixed response in taluk centres and rural areas on Thursday.
Educational institutions declared a holiday, while business establishments downed shutters voluntarily. Surprisingly, even in residential areas shops remained closed.
Various organisations took out protest march. Members of CPM, JD(U), JD(S) and BJP staged rasta rokho. BJP activists took out a bike rally, urging businessmen to cooperate and down shutters. They torched old, used tyres at N R Circle. They were led by Navile Annappa, Krishnegowda, Manjunatha Sharma and Prasanna Kumar.
Members of JD(U), under leadership of district president H D Sathish, took out a procession on bullock carts and tongas with placards and banners displaying anti-UPA government slogans around the statue of Hemavathi.
CPM activists took out a procession from the statue of Hemavathi. They reached the head post office and attempted to lock it. Police intervened and convinced the protestors from doing so. Tension prevailed there for some time. They also blocked the road for some time near the old bus stand. CPM district secretary Dharmesh, Naveen Kumar, G P Sathyanarayana, B G girish and Pruthvi were present on the occasion. However, no untoward incident was reported.
Attendance in government offices was thin and business transaction in banks was negligible. Parents could not get DDs for admission of their wards in schools and colleges.
Even though KSRTC busses were plying on the roads, services were stalled after 11 am. Private bus services were not affected. However, people who had come from other places were stranded. They found it difficult to even find food.
Rasta rokho was staged at Kattaya, Goruru and Palya in Alur taluk. Vehicle owners were scouting for fuel as petrol bunks did not open. Bandh was near total in Arkalgud, Arsikere and Belur while it was average in Chennarayapatna, Holenarasipur and Sakleshpur.