TN: 6 to 6 bandh on SC stay on OBC quota begins

Chennai, Mar 31: The dawn-to-dusk bandh called by the ruling DMK-led DPA in Tamil Nadu in protest against the Supreme Court stay on 27 per cent OBC quota, began here this morning.

The decision to observe the bandh was taken at a meeting of the DMK-led DPA, chaired by DMK President and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on March 29 night.

The state government ordered closure of all educational institutions, commercial and industrial establishments, state public sector undertakings and state government offices under the Negotiable Instruments Act in view of the bandh.

Cinema theatres and liquor shops were also closed.

Trains and bus services remained suspended and the Indian airlines had rescheduled or combined its flights due to the bandh.

However, the state government had exempted essential services like telephone, water supply, milk, power, hospitals and fire services from the bandh.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements to prevent any untoward incident. Passengers who arrived in various Railway stations and bus depots were safely escorted to their destinations.

More than one lakh police personnel were deployed on bandobust duty to prevent any untoward incident.

All the alliance partners in the DPA and the DMDK of actor- politician Vijaykanth had expressed their support for the bandh, while the main Opposition AIADMK and its ally MDMK did not openly declare their support to the bandh, though they shared a similar view on the issue.

While the Southern Railways had announced cancellation and rescheduling of various trains, including long distance trains.

The EMU services on the Chennai Beach-Tambaram section, the Chennai Central-Arakkonam section and the MRTS trains were cancelled during the bandh period.

Airport sources said the airport would function as usual and it was for the airliners to decide on operating the flights depending upon the passenger response.

UNI