Normal life was not affected in Mandya and Chamarajanagar during the ‘Bharat Bandh’, called by the farmers’ organisations on Tuesday. The bandh was limited just for protests.
It was expected that intensified protests would be held from the morning in Mandya. But, there was no bandh-like situation even after 11 am. Hotels, shops were open and the roadside vendors were into business as usual. Super markets and showrooms were open. The KSRTC buses and autorickshaws plied normally.
However, there was no bus service to rural areas. Though it was expected that the protesters would not allow the buses to leave from the bus stand, no one turned up.
Dalit, farmers’, labour and other organisations gathered near the Silver Jubilee park and took out a protest march till Jayachamaraja Circle. They blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway for a while and staged protest.
However, the police ensured that the traffic was not affected on the highway. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The protest evoked mixed response in Chamarajanagar. The bandh was observed only in the city, while the taluk centres were normal. A few farmers staged protest at Kollegal, Hanur and M M Hills.
While a few shops had downed the shutters voluntarily, others were open. But, the protesters asked them to close them and extend support. The BJP supporters did not oblige and continued with their business.
KSRTC buses stayed away from roads as the protesters stopped the buses, inconveniencing passengers.
A person, who was on his way to Jayadeva Hospital in Mysuru, collapsed at the bus stand. The police, rushed and shifted him to the district hospital for first aid. He was later shifted to Mysuru in an ambulance.
Around 30 passengers, who were on their way to Mandya from Coimbatore, were seen stuck at Chamarajanagar bus stand. However, the protesters distributed food packets to them.