Bharat Bandh: Lukewarm response in Hassan district

Bharat Bandh, called by various associations, extending support to the protests in Delhi, condemning the anti-farmer Amendments of the Union government, evoked a lukewarm response in Hassan district.

KSRTC bus services, autorickshaws and other vehicular movement was normal. Hotels, shops, banks and government offices were open. Business was as usual in markets. Weekly shandies too were not affected. Police security was beefed up at temples, churches and mosques, as a precautionary measure.

All shops remained closed at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) at Santhepet. Thus, movement of goods vehicles was affected to an extent.

The activists, led by Raitha Sangha district president Babu took out a protest march by dragging the plough on the roads. A few protesters also performed ‘urulu seve’ on the roads.

Members belonging to Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Labour and Kannada organisations, CITU, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, Hasiru Sene, Raitha Sangha, DYFI, Congress, JD(S), gathered near the Hemavathi statue.

They took out a protest march and blocked the road at NR Circle. They also vent their ire, by torching the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Adani.