Kolar/Chikkaballapur: Kolar and Chikkaballapur observed bandh on Friday called by various organizations against police action on farmers in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Kolar was normal and peaceful barring a few stone-throwing incidents. Shops, malls were all shutdown disrupting normal life. Movie halls suspended shows and buses were off the roads.
Holiday had been declared for educational institutions with the first PU examination scheduled for Friday being postponed. Banks were closed. Farmers blocked the NH-75 for more than seven hours. Incidents of stone-throwing were reported with two KSRTC and three private vehicles suffering damage. The protesters burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and also raised slogans against the police.
Chikkaballapur too witnessed dharna at Ambedkar Circle. However, any kind of violence was not reported there.
A silent march was held at Bengaluru by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Brigade condemning the state government for the police action against protesting farmers.
Abbni Shivappa, State secretary of the Sangha demanded resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, over the state govermment’s failure to protect farmers. He told that the farmers were beaten up for asking basic rights. 10 farmers were hospitalized and 190 farmers were taken into police custody.
“It’s a shame on the Congress-ruled government, which came to power promising a permanent irrigation project for the parched districts,” he said.
