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Darshinis, restaurants in Bengaluru shut today

Last Updated 29 May 2017, 19:46 IST

Most hotels and restaurants in the city will remain closed on Tuesday to protest against increased rates under the goods and services tax regime.

The city has 3,000 registered hotels and restaurants. An association representing them said all of them, darshinis included, would suspend business on Tuesday and open only on Wednesday morning.

This is the first-ever bandh called by the business, insiders said. About 25% of Bengalureans depend on the city’s diverse eating joints for their daily meal, according to an informal industry estimate. The Centre intends to roll out GST from July 1.

The bandh call was given by the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association (BBHA). The Karnataka State Hotel Owners Association, however, is not taking part in the protest, which means it is business as usual for eateries in districts other than Bengaluru.

About 50,000 hotels and restaurants from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are supporting the bandh, according to Veerendra N Kamat, treasurer of BBHA. He told DH the decision was taken after the Centre released GST details recently.

“In the past, hotels and restaurants were closed during bandhs, such as those connected with the Cauvery protests. But this is the first time they have come together to raise their voice against the government with such a protest. All restaurants, hotels, cafes and eateries will be closed from 6 am on May 30 to 6 am on May 31,” he said.

Owners of the businesses will gather at Town Hall in Bengaluru on Tuesday, and also submit memoranda to the state government and the Centre.

Districts unaffected

M Rajendra, president of the Karnataka State Hotel Owners Association, said the decision was limited to Bengaluru and Bengaluru Rural.

“We have members from 29 other districts and none of them, including districts in the vicinity of Bengaluru, has decided to shut down. Though we are protesting against the tax hike, only Bengaluru hoteliers have decided to shut down,” he said. Some pubs and bars are likely to be open in Bengaluru, Rajendra reckoned. The bandh could affect weddings and parties depending on caterers.

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(Published 29 May 2017, 19:39 IST)

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