Cauvery water row: Friday bandh in Tamil Nadu may evoke strong response
Chennai: The bandh announced by farmers’ bodies with the backing of all the opposition parties on September 16 is likely to make a bigger impact as shops, petrol bunks and cinema theatres are to be shut, lorries would not be operated and supply of milk too would be stopped.
Train services could be delayed at many places including the city as the agitations are aimed to draw the attention of the Centre. The farmers' unions have announced rail blockades and political parties could join them in stopping trains. Unlike in Karnataka where the state government declared holidays to educational institutions and stopped bus services, the Tamil Nadu government is likely to stay away from the bandh, operating buses as usual.
The capital city of Chennai too is expected to feel the impact of the farmers bandh with the two leading traders organisations headed by T. Vellaiyan and A.M. Vikramaraja joining hands in their call to down shutters. The two bodies together control more than half of the trading community in all the regions of the state.
The pinch of the bandh could be felt early in the morning at households since people could miss their coffee or tea since milk vendors announced that they would join the bandh and milk packets would not be supplied.
The lorry owners association too said they would not operate their vehicles condemning the torching of several lorries in Karnataka.Cinema theatre owners too are considering cancelling two shows on that day to express solidarity with the farmers.
Though Aavin would not join the private operators, supply of milk could be affected as private workers are involved in the business. Owners of hotels and restaurants would join the agitations and keep their firms shut on the day. Most associations of hotel owners made a call to the people to support the bandh and invited other associations to join them.
All the Opposition parties including the DMK, MDMK, VCK and Left parties came out with statements announcing their support to the bandh. The party functionaries and cadre would join the protests throughout the state. This is the second time the DMK and PWA parties would be joining hands on the Cauvery issue. They were together in the previous bandh too.
