Bandh passes off peacefully in North Karnataka

Hubballi: The nationwide bandh call for Friday given by various labour unions, supported by Left parties, received a poor response in Hubballi.
Except for traffic movement being disrupted for an hour, the bandh didn't affect normal life in the city. Banks, post-offices, LIC offices and BSNL offices remained closed and that caused some inconvenience to the people.
Since morning, activists of the joint committee for trade unions consisting of CITU, AITUC, TUCC, AIUTUC, HMS, AIIEA, AIBEA, BSNLEU-NFTE, AIRBEF-AIRBOA, AIBOC, GIENIA took out a massive rally on the major streets and later gathered at Ambedkar Circle for a public meeting.
At this meeting, leaders of JCTU, Mahesh Pattar, N A Khazi, Tayidas, Umesh Basidoni, A V Charkhane, Gurusiddha Ambiger. Yusuf Ballari, R F Kavalikai, Noorjahan Samudri and others condemned the Union governments's anti-labour polices. Later, all leaders handed over a memorandum to the tahsildar at the meeting.
In the morning, the unions of various banks and labour organizations took out a rally and tried to stop government buses plying on the roads. During this, some employees of the NWKRTC urged leaders to stop autorickshaw services too. There were heated discussions for a few minutes and traffic movement was thrown out of gear.
Mahesh Pattar, convener, JCTU, said the protest was successful. "Employees of the LIC, banks, post-offices, among other organisations, extended their support to the strike. Employees of NWKRTC too extended their support but were not involved in the strike. Traffic movement was smooth, except for an hour, when buses were stopped forcibly," he added.
Police had made elaborate security arrangements and not a single untoward incident was reported.
In Vijayapura, the bandh call received very poor response in the district. Buses, autos, and other vehicles plied as usual, while schools, colleges, business establishments, cinema halls, banks and other establishments functioned normally. The market place Gandhi Chowk witnessed brisk business.
India Democratic Students' Organisation, India Democratic Youth Organization, All India Mahila Samaskrutik Sangatane District Committee members held a huge protest rally in the main streets. The rally started from Siddheshwar Temple and ended at the deputy commissioner's office in a public meeting. The trade union leaders submitted a memorandum to the DC urging to fulfil their 12 demands. A human chain was formed by trade union members at Gandhi Chowk.
CITU leader Bhimashi Kaladagi, Prakash Hitnalli, AIUTUC district convener Mallikarjun H T, Grameen Bank Employees Association leader G G Gandhi, CITU district secretary Lakshman Handral, and others participated in the rally.
In Ballari, the bandh passed off peacefully. In several parts of the district, the call received a poor response and things were normal by afternoon. The state government-owned NEKRTC service was withdrawn completely and commuters made do with other modes of transport. Several labour unions assembled at Gadigi Chenappa Circle and union leaders addressed the gathering. State and central government officers functioned normally. Ramprasath Manohar, deputy commissioner, Ballari, declared a holiday for all schools and colleges of the district. R Chethan, superintendent of police, Ballari, put in place security arrangements.
The bandh also received a poor response in Davangere as almost all commercial establishment, schools and colleges were open. KSRTC buses in rural areas along with private buses plied normally as did autos. There was no impact in Davanagere city too. Petrol bunks and private banks too functioned normally. Several organizations, including AITUC, took out protest rallies.
Normal life was not affected in the district which saw elaborate police presence.