Normal life in Karnataka was affected by the nationwide bandh called by the National Democratic Alliance and Left parties to protest against the Centre’s decision to hike diesel price and allow FDI in retail sector. Although the bandh was peaceful, life in Bangalore and several other parts of the state came to be a halt for most part of the day.
In Bangalore, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses stayed off the roads till 4 pm. Markets and commercial establishments wore a deserted look. As a precautionary measure, the government and private schools and colleges had declared a holiday. Most of the offices, including Information Technology firms, were closed.
The Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power, wore a deserted look as a majority of the government employees chose to stay home.
In many cities and towns, BJP leaders and workers staged demonstrations. B S Yeddyurappa, Ananth Kumar and others, who staged a demonstration at Mysore Bank Circle in Bangalore, were arrested.
Protesters pelted stones at three city buses and a BSNL office in Hubli, and in Mysore protesters stopped the shooting of a Kannada film after a verbal altercation with the crew, including actor Ramya.
Police had made elaborate security arrangements across the state. Seventy people were taken into preventive custody.
Protesters burnt tyres at two places in Raichur. In Bijapur, business establishments remained closed, but banks and government offices worked normally, though the attendance was thin.
In Tumkur, Hassan, Kolar, Chikballapur, Shimoga, Chitradurga, Chikmagalur, Gulbarga, Udupi, Kodagu, Haveri, Bellary, Davangere, Koppal, Mangalore, Mysore, Mandya and Chamrajnagar the bandh was total. More: P2, 3
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