Karnataka bandh by pro-Kannada groups remains peaceful under tight security

The 12hour Karnataka bandh called by proKannada groups to protest the alleged assault on a staterun bus conductor in Belagavi last month for being unable to understand Marathi passed off peacefully on SaturdayWith elaborate security arrangements in place the police ensured that no untoward incidents occurred during the shutdown PTI reportedAccording to PTI ahead of the Karnataka bandh state Home Minister G Parameshwara requested the people to protest peacefully warning that any attempt to disturb law and order or resort to vandalism would be dealt with an iron handProKannada groups staged protests in various parts of the state and convincing shopkeepers to support the Karnataka bandh However most shops remained open as usualIn Bengaluru activists came together at Mysore Bank Circle raising slogans and holding placards reported PTISome demonstrators staged a protest at the bus stands in Majestic urging bus drivers and conductors to support the bandh As their agitation intensified police took them into preventive custodyLeading the agitation Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha convener Vatal Nagaraj staged a demonstration at MajesticHe termed the bandh a success claiming that bus stands were deserted many shopkeepers had shut their shops and several autorickshaw drivers stayed off the roadsAccording to PTI Nagaraj informed that he had explained to both the government and the people why his organisation had called for the bandhHe further claimed that over 3000 Kannada activists were taken into preventive custody on Friday night itselfNagaraj was also detained as he began his protest at Town Hall accompanied by Kannada filmmaker Sa Ra GovinduIn Mysuru some proKannada activists staged a sitin protest blocking buses at the suburban bus stand They demonstrated a dharna near the exit gate to prevent buses from leaving for Bengaluru and other parts of the stateSeveral proKannada activists were taken into preventive custody after they attempted to stop a KSRTC bus in MysuruSimilar protests took place in Davangere where demonstrators hit the streetsSources in Belagavi said KSRTC buses were operating as usual but the movement of buses from Maharashtra to this border town in north Karnataka was restricted as it remained at the center of the linguistic rowBesides the attack on a bus conductor in Balekundri Panchayat officials in Kinaye village Belagavi were abused for not speaking MarathiLocated on the Maharashtra border Belagavi has a substantial Marathispeaking population and the border dispute flares up from time to timeThe accused in both incidents have been taken into custodyExtensive security measures were implemented across the state with senior officers closely monitoring the situation to prevent any untoward incidentsPolice in various districts deployed home guards along with City Armed Reserve units as a precautionary measure to ensure that the bandh remained peaceful and did not cause inconvenience to the public officials informed reported PTIBengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda warned of legal action against anyone found coercing people into participating in the bandhHe stated that 60 Karnataka State Reserve Police platoons 1200 home guards and the entire civil and traffic police force were deployed in Bengaluru as a precautionKarnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar urged people to maintain peace and follow the lawWe will protect the interests of the state Everyone should maintain peace and abide by the law However I feel there is no need for a bandh he asserted on FridayAccording to Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner Jagadeesha G no holiday was declared for schools and collegesOn February 28 Kannada Okkuta an umbrella organisation representing various proKannada groups announced the statewide bandh from 6 am to 6 pm on March 22Stateowned public transport corporations such as the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation KSRTC and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation BMTC largely remained operationalAccording to sources some autorickshaw cab and private transport unions extended support to the bandh while others including hotel associations malls bars and restaurants chose to stay away offering only moral supportMeanwhile essential services including pharmacies hospitals ambulances petrol pumps and metro services continued to operate amid the bandhWith PTI inputs