Karnataka bandh: Things you should know before stepping out of home

Pro-Kannada organisations have called for a Karnataka bandh press for their charter of demands.

Karnataka is expected to witness a smooth Monday despite the bandh call given by Pro-Kannada organisations over a wide-range of issues. 'Kannada Okoota', an umbrella organisation of Kannada bodies has called for a dawn to dusk bandh across the state. The state intelligence bureau expects it to be a low key bandh.

Schools to remain open

Schools and colleges will remain open on Monday. While government schools and colleges will remain open, the private players will take a call depending on the situation. Many private schools, who will not be able to support the cause of the bandh have appealed the government to increase security or aid schools in districts where we expect violence. The fourth-semester postgraduate exams of Bengaluru University has been postponed. Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has also postponed its first year B.Ed examinations and seventh semester examinations.

Transport services to be normal

Vatal Nagraj who gave the bandh call says that the protest would be a peaceful one. Officials and union leaders say that the transport services will be normal. Autorickshaws, metro and buses will ply on Monday. The officials of BMRCL has said that Namma metro will be operational. The BMTC and KSRTC will also operate buses. The radio cab services will also be operational, say officials of Bangalore Tourist Taxi Operators' Association.

Ola, Uber to ply

M S Meenakshi Sundaram, president, Auto Rickshaw Drivers' Union (ARDU) says that they have not announced their support to the bandh. For now the autorickshaws will ply. The BMTC and KSRTC will also operate buses subject to ground situation. The Bangalore Tourist Taxi Operators' Association spokesperson said that radio cab services would run. "We have to provide facilities to the public so we are not stopping the operaion of vehicles on Monday," said a spokesperson. Cabs under taxi aggregators like Ola and Uber are also expected to ply.

Charter of demands

Pro-Kannada organisations have called for a Karnataka bandh press for their charter of demands, which include farm loan waiver, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in the Mahadayi river water dispute and a permanent solution to the problem of water scarcity in arid areas.

The outfits have also been demanding for the exile of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti activists from the state for their alleged ‘anti Kannada' activities in Belagavi. According to Vatal Nagaraj, who heads Kannada Okoota, the bandh has been called to protest against Tamil Nadu's opposition to the Mekedatu project across the river Cauvery and proposal to privatise BEML.

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