Bharat Bandh in Karnataka: Streets deserted in Bengaluru, shops attacked in Mangalore

BANGALORE: Daily life was thrown out of gear across Karnataka after Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) and their allies called for a Bharat Bandh on Monday, to protest against the rise in fuel prices. 

In Bangalore, schools, education institutes and several offices were shut. Many corporates asked their employees to work from home and avoid travelling. Local buses, taxis and autorickshaws stayed off the roads, giving a deserted look to the city. Business establishments, shops, malls, also remained closed.

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses kept off the road across the state. 

Hundreds of workers from Congress, JD(S), Left parties and other outfits came on the streets, raising slogans, reported PTI.

Organisations such as Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, BMTC, Ola and Uber and taxi associations, uto Drivers’ Association have lent their support to the bandh.

In Mangaluru, incidents of stone pelting at hotels and shops, which remained open, were reported.

The shutdown was also reported from in many other parts of the state including Tumakuru, Ramanagar, Mandya, Channapatna, Hassan, Mangaluru, Chamarajnagar, Mysuru. Hubballi, Bidar and Kolar.

Condemning the attack, BJP Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa said, "It's an ill-intended bandh to trouble the common man and mislead them. This bandh is benefiting only the extortionists. People know what's happening. Nowhere in the country, it's successful except for Karnataka because it's a conspiracy of the Congress and JD(S)," Yeddyurappa said.

As a precautionary measure, state chief minister HD Kumaraswamy declared a public holiday for schools and colleges in Bengaluru on Monday.

A country-wide bandh has been called by the Opposition over the fuel price rise. Price of both - already having set records earlier this year - rose for almost all of last week and petrol even breached the Rs 80/litre mark in the national capital.