Bandh near total in Kerala; UDF leaders arrested

The deserted Secretariat due to the State-wide harthal called by the LDF.

The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala is total and incident-free so far.

The hartal has been called to register the LDF's protest against the RBI curbs on the cooperative sector post-demonetisation and the denial of permission to an all-party delegation from Kerala to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to represent the State's case vis-a-vis the cooperative institutions.

Reports from various districts indicated that the hartal has hit movement of vehicles and functioning of major markets, business and commercial establishments, educational institutions and government offices. Banks, which have been exempted from the hartal, are functioning normally.

LDF leaders including CPI(M) State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Minister for Finanace Thomas Isaac, march towards the GPO as a part of anti-demonetisation hartal, in Thiruvananthapuram.

 

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is operating services to and from Sabarimala for the benefit of Lord Ayyappa pilgrims. However, with hotels and shops remaining closed in places en route, the pilgrims are being put to a lot of difficulties.

The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), which had stood by the government at the special session of the State Assembly to adopt a resolution on the crisis in the cooperative sector, has chosen to distance itself from the hartal.

 

Leaders and activists of the Opposition alliance staged a dharna outside Raj Bhavan a short while ago. Addressing the rally, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala came down heavily on Mr. Modi and his government over the demonetisation which, he said, had heaped untold misery on the ordinary people.

Mr. Chennithala and other Opposition leaders, MLAs and activists were arrested and removed by the police.