Karnataka bandh: What is open, what is closed

There will be a Karnataka bandh on January 25, Thursday. Several private schools and state government offices are expected to be shut tomorrow following the bandh call was given by organisations protesting against the Centre's apathy towards the Mahadayi dispute.

On Tuesday, the Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka sent an advisory to schools that they should remain closed on Thursday and conduct full-day classes on Saturday to compensate.

The education department, however, said that it is the respective Deputy Commissioners of the district who would take a call on whether to shut down schools or not depending on the prevailing situation.

The Bangalore University has rescheduled some of its undergraduate and postgraduate examinations. Most of these examinations are part of its distance education programmes.

Transport services would, however, function on Thursday. Several app-based taxi services said on the social media that they would function as normal.

H D Revappa from the KSRTC Employee Federation, affiliated to the CITU, said services would be operational on Thursday.

However, services in Hubbali and other parts of northern Karnataka are likely to be severely hit as the epicentre of the protests is in those areas.

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) managing director V Ponnuraj said they would follow the directives given by the State government. Government offices and associated services are expected to be shut tomorrow.

The Karnataka State Government Employees' Association has extended support to the bandh. The bandh has also got the support of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce and film shooting will remain suspended. Several theatres have decided to release the movie Padmaavat a day early owing to the bandh on Thursday.

Vatal Nagaraj, president of the Kannada Okkoota, expressed confidence that the bandh will be successful, with many government employees' associations extending their support. "This is one way to give the Prime Minister a message that Karnataka will not be silent over the Mahadayi issue," he said.

OneIndia News