BENGALURU: A statewide bandh has been called in Karnataka on March 22, with various organisations extending their support to the strike.
The bandh has been called to protest against various issues, including the MES (Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti) ban, the Metro fare hike, and the Kalasa-Banduri project.
On the bandh day, hospitals (only emergency services will be available), medical stores, essential commodities and Metro services will be available to the public.
The Kannada groups which have called for the bandh have got support from contract aggregators including Ola, Uber, and taxi services associations; autorickshaw associations and Agricultural Produce Market Committee (AMC) markets.
Some associations extended moral support to the strike, including the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, hotel associations, mall associations, bakery associations, and bar and restaurant associations. Some transport workers’ unions and private schools and colleges are not supporting the bandh.
Praveen Shetty of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike said, “We have immense respect for the Kannada organisations. We had already taken up the fight before the bandh was announced, and now we are going to Mekedatu for a padayatra. We have not yet decided whether to support the bandh or not; we will make a decision on March 21”.
Hotel Owners’ Association president P C Rao said, “We will only provide moral support to the bandh as we cannot shut down our hotels. We will provide food to those who come to our hotels”.
Karnataka Private Schools Association’s Shashikumar has requested Kannada organisations to reconsider the bandh date, as it may cause problems for students from Class 1 to 9 who have exams scheduled on that date. He urged the organisations to change the bandh date in the interest of children, as schools cannot declare a holiday.
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