BENGALURU: City police have warned organisations and individuals against forcing people and establishments into supporting the Karnataka bandh called on Saturday by a section of pro-Kannada outfits to protest the assault on a conductor in Belagavi recently for not speaking to a passenger on a NWKRTC bus in Marathi.
B Dayananda, the Bengaluru city police commissioner, Friday warned that anyone found coercing people into taking part in the 6am to 6pm bandh will face legal action. He said 60 KSRP platoons, 1,200 home guards and the entire civil and traffic police force will be on duty.
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Despite the bandh call, schools & colleges across the state will remain open, Jagadeesha G, the Bengaluru urban deputy commissioner, confirmed. Speaking to TOI, he said: “There are exams going on, and we cannot let the bandh affect students.” The education dept said there will be no changes in school-level exam schedules owing to the bandh. CISCE-affiliated schools, too, said the ISC Home Science exam scheduled for the day will be held as usual.
Auto, cab services to be limited
CBSE schools said their class 12 exams will also be held as scheduled.
Stakeholders in major public transport entities have indicated that their operations will run as usual. Namma Metro, BMTC and KSRTC said they will be operating their services.
However, autos and app-based cab services are likely to be limited as several auto and cab drivers’ unions have supported the bandh.
Expressing moral support to the bandh, the Bangalore hotels’ association said all their hotels will remain open. The Kannada film industry, too, has extended its moral support to the protest, but assured film screenings will continue unhindered.
Shashi Kumar, the general secretary, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), said the outfit has extended its moral support to the bandh call, but won’t participate in it.
“If any untoward incidents happen or if any damage occurs to public or private property, the bandh organisers will have to bear the expenses, according to the law,” Dayananda cautioned.
According to police, Vatal Nagaraj, leader of Kannada Okkuta, a federation of several pro-Kannada organisations, and others had sought permission for the bandh and the same was denied.
“The Karnataka bandh will be 100% effective. Stay at home, do not go to school or college. A bandh doesn’t mean setting things on fire, creating chaos, roaming around, or causing problems,” Nagaraj said while justifying the bandh call.
Screening halted
Meanwhile, in Belagavi, some Kannada activists halted the screening of a Marathi movie on Friday evening. The screening of the movie ‘Follower’, which was released on Friday in both Belagavi and Maharashtra, was halted at the INOX theatre in the Camp area. The Shivarame Gowda faction of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike stopped the show, alleging that the movie contains the controversial border dispute issue in favour of Maharashtra.
