The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanding Finance Minister K.M. Mani’s resignation over the bar licence bribery charges was near-total across the State.
The hartal passed off peacefully, though there were some instances of violence in some parts of the State. At Kottarakara, BJP activists allegedly attacked some KSEB officials who had reported for duty at the local office of the power utility. Hartal supporters threw stones at KSRTC buses at Neyyattinkara injuring one person. Stone pelting was reported from some other parts of the State as well. In many places, BJP activists detained private vehicles that plied defying the hartal call.
Exams put off
Educational institutions across the State remained closed. Kerala Public Service Commission could not hold its examinations scheduled for Tuesday. Calicut University, Mahatma Gandhi University and the Cochin University of Science and Technology postponed examinations that were to be held on Tuesday to January 31.
Travellers stranded
People who landed at railway stations were helped by the police and a few voluntary groups to reach their destinations. Tourists who arrived at the three international airports had a harrowing time as no transportation was available to them.
Banks, major markets and commercial establishments remained shut and most of the public and private industrial units reported thin attendance.
The presence of staff in government offices was also hit by the hartal as public transport was not available. Even private vehicles mostly stayed off the road.
In some districts such as Pathanamthitta, the local BJP leadership exempted certain areas ifrom the hartal on account of local festivals.
BJP charge
The BJP activists took out marches in all the districts. Inaugurating the march in the State capital, BJP State president V. Muralidharan said it was shameful that the Mr. Mani continued in office despite strong evidence against him.
In an obvious reference to the support extended to Mr. Mani by the NSS leadership, the BJP president hoped that leadership of community organizations would realize the folly of supporting the corrupt.
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