pramitsingh30
Pramit Singh
Today Bangalore Bandh by Pro Kannada Groups.
BANGALORE: Normal life is likely to be disrupted on Thursday as autorickshaws will go off roads, restaurants plan to remain closed and there are doubts over functioning of multiplexes and bus services. For, more than 50 pro-Kannada organizations have called a dawn-to-dusk Bangalore bandh to protest increasing incidence of sexual crime against women and children.
Schools are also likely to remain closed and services in government offices disrupted as the bandh is backed by the Karnataka Government Employees' Association, which has 45,000 members, including government school teachers. BBMP employees will also keep off work. However, the courts will function as usual.
"Everybody should support us on Thursday. Only then we can send a strong message to rapists and curb increasing violence against women. If people violate the bandh call and go on with activities such as film shows and shooting, we will stage protest on the spot. Those not supporting the bandh will be responsible for any damage happening there," Vatal Nagaraj, head of the forum of pro-Kannada organisations, said.
Vatal said the problem is not only about the increasing sexual crimes, but also about the brand Bangalore. "Around 10,000 people will take out a peaceful rally from Town Hall to the chief minister's residence in the morning," he added.
Though the government has not declared a holiday, several private educational institutions have decided to remain closed. Others will take a call on Thursday morning. "The safety of schoolchildren is our responsibility. The schools will decide depending upon the situation," said L R Shivaramegowda of the Karnataka Private Schools Joint Action Committee.
Similar is the situation with colleges. "Colleges can decide on their own depending upon the situation," said B Thimme Gowda, VC, Bangalore University.
However, exams have been postponed. The MBA fourth-semester examination of Bangalore University scheduled for Thursday will be held on August 5; the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board's I DEd Examination scheduled for Thursday will now be held on Friday.
The Jawahar Bal Bhavan in Cubbon Park will also remain closed. Others that will be shut are APMC markets. Private goods trucks will also go off roads.
Most private companies are planning to wait and watch, while others have made alternative transportation arrangements for their staff. TCS and IBM have given their employees option to work from home, while Infosys said, "At the moment it is business as usual. However, our bus schedule has been modified."
The BMTC and KSRTC will operate as per schedule. It's usually the buses that are attacked by protesters, so the corporations have beefed up security.
G Ramesh, BMTC director (security and vigilance), said, "Services will be normal. But we have sought police protection to secure our buses and depots. We have also alerted our depot managers to take security measures for the buses."
BNS Reddy, KSRTC director (security and vigilance), "The bandh would start only by 8am and most of our operation is during night and Bangalore-bound buses would reach early morning. Major services are not going to be affected." The transport department has asked the corporations "to take a call on halting services only if there is disruption or damages to vehicles.
source :- timesofindia.indiatimes.com