The response to the State-wide bandh called by pro-Kannada organisations, in protest against the Tamil Nadu government’s opposition to the Mekedatu project, on Saturday was lukewarm in Ballari, Koppal, and Belagavi districts.
Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangh (Kodihalli Chandrashekhar faction) Belagavi district president Basavaraj Mallali said there would not be any impact of the bandh call in the region, as there was a hurt feeling among the people that those in Bengaluru and other parts of south Karnataka had never supported or organised such protests in support of various development projects pending here for long.
State general secretary of Bharat Krishik Samaj Sidgouda Kalgouda Modagi also expressed similar views and said the leaders and people from south Karnataka had been indifferent to the people of north Karnataka and hardly supported any development works or projects in this region.
Protest demonstrations were held by pro-Kannada organisations in Ballari city. Some of the shops, business establishments, cinema houses, petrol bunks, hotels and restaurants on the main roads remained closed.
Pro-Kannada activists were seen moving in groups forcing closure of shops which had remained opened.
The activists also burnt tyres and effigy of Tamil Nadu to register their protest for opposing the Mekedatu project.
However, buses owned by the State road transport corporations and autorickshaws were seen moving freely without any hindrance. Banks and government offices functioned as usual.
In Koppal district too, the response to the bundh call was poor.
Normal life was as usual with shops and business establishments functioning normally and city and long distance buses services remaining unaffected.
All the commercial establishments and other institutions, service stations, cinema theatres, workshops, industrial units, etc. functioned as usual in Belagavi. Bus and train services also operated without any hindrance.
