MYSURU: Bandh call given by the BJP evoked a poor response in Mysuru city as normal life was not affected and commercial establishments remained opened on Monday. The BJP had called for voluntary bandh urging Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to waive farm loans worth `53,000 crore as he had assured to do it within 24 hours after assuming the office.
Though lorry and cinema hall owners had extended support, there was very poor response from people as banks, educational institutes, hotels and commercial establishments remained open. Sugarcane Growers Association president Kurbur Shanthakumar said they would not support bandh call as the government is just a week old. He said they will hold talks with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in this connection.
MP Pratap Simha criticised Kumaraswamy for saying that he is under the mercy of the Congress party.
“If he is in the mercy of the Congress, let Kumaraswamy resign,” he said. Recalling that Kumaraswamy had assured that he would waive farm loans within 24 hours after taking oath as chief minister, he said the CM should stand by his word.
He said BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa had promised to waive farm loans up to `1 lakh.
The police took BJP MLAs L Nagendra and S A Ramdas into their custody when they tried to stop buses in city and suburban bus stations. The cops ensured that the public transport was not affected.
MP Pratap Simha was also taken into custody when he tried to stop buses coming from Bannimanatap depot. BJP workers in groups staged protests at Gandhi Square, raising slogans against the government.
Bandh partial in Chamarajnagar, flops in mandya
Mysuru: BJP workers took out a bike rally and staged protests demanding farm loan waiver in Mandya. The bandh call was a failure in Mandya district and it did not have any impact on normal life. While it was partial in pockets of Chamarajnagar district where the BJP has a strong presence. In Mandya, the police arrested 30 BJP workers much before they started their protest. They raised slogans against CM Kumaraswamy and termed him a betrayer who failed to keep his promise made during assembly polls. The police beefed up security in Mandya and other towns as banks, educational institutes, hotels and business establishments remained opened. Shopkeepers and public did not respond despite requests from BJP leaders Chandagala Shivanna and city unit president R Arvind down the shutters. BJP workers and the police entered into a wordy duel when party workers tried to close down shops. The bandh was partial in Gundlupet, Chamarajnagar and Hanur while it was a failure in Kollegal. BJP workers forced the closure of shops in Chamarajnagar, Gundlupet and Hanur.