CHENNAI: In a gesture of support for the drought-hit farmers, most of the shops remained closed in the city on Tuesday. However, public transport and autos ran, enabling the office-goers to reach their workplaces.
As many as 43,000 people who protested in different parts of the State, of whom 8,000 were from Chennai, were detained by the police. However, they were freed in the evening.
Though most shops in all the main localities were found shut, the government offices, banks and educational institutions were open. There was a huge demand for basic products, such as milk and vegetables. As traders’ union also extended its support, the Koyambedu vegetable and flower market stayed shut and other shops including hotels were also found closed.
The opposition DMK had called for a bandh to show solidarity with the cause of drought-hit farmers who just ended a month-long protest in Delhi and to urge the Central and State Governments to fulfil their demands.
Nearly one lakh police personnel were on duty across the State to prevent untoward incidents. There was no big incident of violence across the city, expect four government properties were damaged in Thiruvallur district where unidentified mobs pelted stones at the buses. Two incidents of stone-pelting in Kancheepuram, five similar incidents in Vellore, two cases Villupuramram and one at Dindigul were reported. Cinema theatres cancelled the first two shows during the day.
While autos, share autos and buses services were largely unaffected in the city, only a few shops in interior lanes opened hesitatingly, while some did business with shutters partly pulled down. People found it difficult to find restaurants and even small tea shops. People had stocked up food and milk the previous day as many shops in the city ran out of the items on Monday night.
Some people found it difficult even to get drinking water cans delivered home. The liquor shop of the state-run Tasmac were open. Beyond Thiruvanmiyur, the transport situation was tougher. No buses were spotted on the road and private cabs charged higher fare because of huge demand. Even in Thirumangalam, though several shops were shut, traffic was normal. There were huge crowds waiting at bus stops and share autos were full. However, for some parts of the city it was business as usual.
Buses, autos, shops, eateries ran as usual from Kattupakkam to Porur. But it was noticed that the usual office traffic and number of vehicles on the roads were thin compared to other days. The leaders of various political leaders took out rallies and held roadside protests. The DMK leader M K Stalin protested in Tiruvarur, a district situated in Cauvery river’s delta district.
Except the AIADMK and the BJP, most other political parties had extended support to the bandh. The protesters were allowed to assemble in places where police had granted permission and in a few places they courted arrest.