Autorickshaws and cabs are likely to remain off the roads and schools closed on December 31, the day on which a State-wide bandh has been called by Kannada organisations. But hotels and the film industry will take a decision on it in a few days.
Kannada organisations have called for the bandh demanding a ban on the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES). They have been making this demand following incidents of burning of Kannada flag in Kolhapur and defacement of the statue of Sangolli Rayanna at Belagavi, allegedly by MES activists.
Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj claimed that hundreds of associations have expressed their support for the bandh and lakhs of people will march from Town Hall to Freedom Park on December 31. He added that services such as hospitals, pharmacies and milk supply will not be affected.
Tanveer Pasha, President, Ola and Uber Drivers Association, said that they would extend their support to the bandh and cabs will be off the roads from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. M. Manjunath, President, Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers Union said auto drivers had also decided to support the bandh. Ramesh Holla of Bruhat Bengaluru Taxi Drivers Union, which has many airport cabs under their banner, said that they would stop cabs and all airport transfers during the bandh period.
Hotels undecided
However, B. Chandrashekar Hebbar, president, Karnataka State Hotel Association, said many hotels had already made reservations for December 31 as it was New Year’s Eve. “We will take a decision on supporting the bandh after hearing from our members in different districts,” he said.
D.R. Jairaj, President of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce said that three Kannada films are slated to release on December 31 as it is a Friday. “We will take a final decision after we have a meeting,” he said.
While many central board schools have Christmas vacations, several State board schools have decided to conduct online classes. Lokesh Talikatte, State unit president, Recognised Unaided Private Schools’ Association, Karnataka, said that private school managements affiliated to their union had decided to support the bandh and would suspend offline classes on that day and hold only online classes.
