The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Mixed response to BJP, VHP bandh call in State

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Friday, Jul 04, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mixed response to BJP, VHP bandh call in State

Karnataka Bureau

Good response in coastal areas and some other districts

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Unexpected: Students of a government girls school boarding a bus to return home after a holiday was declared in view of the nationwide bandh call given by the BJP and VHP, in Bangalore on Thursday.

Bangalore: The nationwide bandh call given by the BJP and VHP against the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s action in cancelling the allotment of land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, evoked a mixed response in the State.

Barring sporadic incidents of stone-throwing and forcible closure of shops, there was no major untoward incident.

While there was no impact in Bangalore, normal life was affected in Mangalore, Udupi, Kodagu, Hubli-Dharwad, Mysore, Davangere, Bidar, Shimoga, Chikmagalur and Belgaum. The response to the bandh call was lukewarm in north Karnataka cities such as Gulbarga, Raichur, Haveri and Gadag, and in Hassan. The response in Bellary district was partial.

The worst affected because of the bandh were students, who could not appear for the II PU supplementary examinations because of non-availability of buses to reach the examination centres in Mangalore and Udupi. While many could not reach the examination centre, some others reached there when only an hour was left for the examination to end.

Life not hit

In Bangalore, normal life was unaffected. Educational institutions, government offices and private establishments functioned normally. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation operated services as usual.

However, there were a few incidents of buses being stoned. Managements of a few private schools declared a holiday.

Business at Sri Krishna Rajendra Market was affected. But it was due to the truckers’ strike and not because of the bandh.

Shops in the market were open. Shopkeepers in some areas such as Malleswaram downed shutters for some time following pressure from political activists. The bandh was near-total in coastal areas like Mangalore and Udupi. Business establishments were closed and public and private vehicles were off the road.

Educational institutions, government and private offices remained closed.

In Hubli-Dharwad, VHP activists burnt tyres at junctions and took out processions.

Some shops that opened in the morning downed shutters later.

Though no untoward incidents were reported, people were put to severe hardship as they were stranded in bus and railway stations.

The response to the bandh call was poor in Tumkur district.

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