Is there Karnataka Bandh on 31 December?

Bengaluru, Dec 30: Pro-Kannada organisations have withdrawn the state-wide bandh on December 31 after a meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday evening.

"Pro-Kannada outfits have withdrawn their call for December 31 Karnataka Bandh after discussing various issues associated with the bandh call," said CM Basavaraj Bommai.

Demanding a complete ban on the activities of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES), pro-Kannada groups headed by Vatal Nagaraj had given a bandh call on Friday in the wake of recent incidents of burning of the Kannada flag in Maharashtra's Kolhapur and defacement of the statue of historical icon Sangolli Rayanna in Belagavi, allegedly by MES activists.

However, business establishments, citing New Year brisk business, had decided not to participate in the bandh. Also, transport organisations extended just moral support to the strike.

Several organisations like the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association, Auto, schools and college associations, shopping malls association and several other commercial establishments had offered only moral support and said they would not participate in the bandh and will function as usual.

Even those who were supporting Vatal Nagaraj in his call for bandh, like Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Praveen Shetty faction among others, made a u-turn and had requested him to call off the bandh, and efforts were on to convince him, PTI reports.

Praveen Shetty, who met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, said he has requested the CM to ensure the safety of Kannadigas in Maharashtra and to ban MES.

The pro-Kannada outfits are likely to observe bandh at a later date.