The Karnataka bandh called by some Kannada organisations on December 31 has been called off.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai held talks with leaders of these outfits on Thursday to convince them to withdraw the bandh call.
Speaking after the meeting with the Chief Minister, Vatal Nagaraj, president, Kannada Okkoota, who had given the bandh call, announced that there would not be a bandh, but only a protest demanding that the State Government ban the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES).
A visibly unhappy Mr. Nagaraj said never in his life had he come under “such pressure” over a bandh for the cause of Kannada. “The Kannada flag was burnt and the MES vandalism crossed all limits and that is why the bandh call was given. But certain sectors, including the film industry and various businesses, acted as if we were doing a crime. Even other Kannada organisations put pressure on me to withdraw the bandh call,” he said, adding that the Chief Minister had assured them to legally examine imposing a ban on MES.
Mr. Bommai, who was Mr. Nagaraj as he made the announcement, said the Government and Kannada organisations were on the same page on the issue and thanked the outfits for heeding his appeal.
From the day Mr. Nagaraj gave a call for Karnataka bandh there were discordant notes and they kept growing. Many sectors and trade associations announced that they would extend “moral support” and not participate in the bandh as they had been battered by the pandemic and were reeling under losses.
With the night curfew in place, businesses are already upset that they are losing out on the New Year Eve season and said they were not in a position to close down businesses.
