Kerala: Private buses to run on Monday

Kochi: Private buses will conduct normal services and most of the shops will remain open on Monday when various Dalit organisations in the state have called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal. “We can’t afford to stay off the road frequently at a time when the sector is passing through a tough phase. Only last Monday there was a hartal. The reason for protest is also something that happened outside the state. All the bus owners unions jointly decided to operate buses on the day,” said Lawrence Babu, general secretary, Kerala State Private Bus Operators Association.

The hartal was called in protest against the killings of Dalits in northern states during the recently held nationwide bandh called against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act. T. Nazaruddin, president of Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti, said all the shops too will function as normal. “We can’t put the public to difficulty too often in the name of hartals and bandhs,” he said. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) too is planning to conduct regular services on the day. 

“We’re in discussion with agencies like the police. A final decision will be taken only on Saturday. However, we want to conduct normal services as we’ll incur loss due to the buses idling,” said a senior official. The hartal is called by organisations like Cheramar Sambavar Development Society, Akhila Kerala Cheramar Hindu Mahasabha, National Dalit Liberation Front, Dalit Human Rights Movement, Kerala Cheramar Sangham, Social Liberation Front, Bahujan Samaj Party and Dravida Varga Aikya Munnani. Only essential services like distribution of milk, newspapers and functioning of medical shops have been exempted.