Bengaluru: Despite the call for a bandh on Monday by the Left parties, the Congress-run state government said it would not support the bandh. As per CM Siddaramaiah’s words, the state will not support the bandh but will instead protest the demonetisation move.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said, “As the Chief Minister had mentioned the Congress party will not support the bandh. All services will run as usual. However, we will protest the demonetisation move by the Centre.”
KSRTC sources informed DC that services will go on as usual. “Services will run as usual. There will be no stoppage or change in KSRTC schedules,” she reiterated. BMTC too will run scheduled services as usual.
Petrol bunks too will keep open on Monday. According to an Indian Oil employee, “There will be no holiday on Monday and petrol bunks will function as usual. We are not supporting the bandh.”
Hotels, hospitals and medical shops will carry on with business as usual. Since these are emergency and essential services. Mohan of Pavan Medicals on Horamavu Main Road said, “We are not affected by the bandh. We have to stay open as we are part of essential services.”
Banks too will function on Monday. According to a PNB branch manager, “We have not been notified over any Bandh on Monday. We will go about our business as usual. All banks will stay open.”
However, Bangalore University has postponed exam scheduled for Monday citing the bandh call. BA, B.Com, BBM and BHM students were supposed to sit for exams on Monday which will now be held on December 8.
The state government had earlier issued a circular to district commissioners to take a call on whether schools and colleges would operate on Monday.
School associations though are taking things very seriously and have asked managements to take a decision. According to Shashi Kumar of Association of Managements of English Medium Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), “We have asked school managements to take a decision over keeping schools open. Their decision depends on the situation in their respective areas.” Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners Association is not supporting the bandh. All cabs will run as usual today.
