Bengaluru bandh evokes mixed response: Schools remain shut, public transport operate but employees work from home

The bandh, which did not have a go ahead from the administration, managed to affect a few pockets of Bengaluru. The central part of the city was the worst hit with the protests affecting some of the arterial roads.

The other parts of Bengaluru witnessed a partial bandh. While some of the business establishments remained closed, hotels and restaurants continued to operate as usual.

In south Bengaluru, non-essential establishments remained shut while chemist shops and hospitals remained unaffected. Some vehicle showrooms also operated as usual.

While no untoward incidents were reported, in Kengeri and Nayandahalli, activists tried to forcefully close shops. Later many of the establishments continued to operate as police security in these parts was beefed up.

In several pockets of the city, the Bengaluru police took protestors in custody under Section 144 CrPC. A few BJP leaders and party workers were also detained for protesting near the Mysore Bank Circle.

Public transportation largely remained unaffected with buses, Metros and other services such as cabs and autos continuing to operate, albeit amid low passenger footfall as most employees worked from home.

A BMTC bus driver of the G3 series, which operates between Brigade Road and Wipro Gate, said, “We finished about four trips and in all the trips we witnessed very low footfalls. G3 generally is used by IT professionals who work at companies like Infosys, Wipro and other tech companies in the Electronic City. Most IT company employees abstained from going to work today.”

Meanwhile, all schools and colleges in Bengaluru were closed following an order by the Bengaluru urban deputy commissioner. However, some CBSE schools switched to online classes and conducted online examinations, while some have announced a full working day on Saturday.

The authorities of some of the schools also feared that with holidays declared due to the Eid-Milad (September 27), scheduled Karnataka bandh (September 29) and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2), students are unlikely to attend classes because of the “long weekend”.

In view of Tuesday’s bandh call, Bangalore City University postponed its undergraduate exams, including the second and fourth semester BA and BSc exams, to October 3.

The Bangalore University deferred its exams to September 27 and all the semester-end and special exams of the Visvesvaraya Technological University have been rescheduled to October 9.

Why the protest and who joined

According to the protestors, there is a drought-like situation as the water levels in the Cauvery basin reservoirs in Karnataka are low. Notably, Bengaluru’s drinking water needs are met by the water from the Cauvery River.

Apart from the political parties, the bandh call was supported by the Sugarcane Grower’s Association, members of the Jai Karnataka organisation, a pro-Kannada outfit, private transport associations and other organisations.

Janata Dal Secular leader and former chief minister for Karnataka H D Kumaraswamy hit out at the ruling Congress and called them the “B team of DMK”.

“Is the Congress government a pro-Kannada government or the B-team of Stalin’s DMK party? On one side the Congress leaders organised a Mekedatu padayatra and on the other hand, they are arresting the protesting farmers and activists fighting for justice over Cauvery water distribution. Are there separate laws for the Congress and the protestors? Congress should immediately stop the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu,” he said.