Mangalore, September 20: The cities and towns across coastal Karnataka on Thursday woke up to a total 'Bundh' with all commercial and business activity coming to a grinding halt in Mangalore, Udupi and Karwar.
The complete shutdown was in response to a 'Bharat Bandh' called by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and other opposition parties to protest against the recent hike in diesel price, cap on supply of subsidised cooking gas cylinders and for allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail sector by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Apart from BJP and Left parties Janata Dal (Secular) also extended support to the shutdown in the region.
This is the third time that the BJP and Left parties are coordinating their agitations since the last Lok Sabha elections to give the impression of a wider opposition unity on issues concerning people. Similar agitations against petrol price hike had happened on July 5, 2010 and May 31, 2012.
All types of transport services were off the road, while few government and private vehicles were seen plying occasionally on different parts of the three districts headquarters.
Several teams of BJP workers were out on the streets in different parts of the cities and towns to ensure a “successful and complete bundh”
As part of precautionary measures all the educational institutions were also remained shut. Several schools and colleges have officially declared holiday in view of the bandh.
Police units of Mangalore city and districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Karwar have made elaborate security arrangements in city and district headquarters and deployed adequate forces in uniform and plainclothes to maintain vigil and prevent any untoward incident during the bundh.
Inspector General of Police (Western Range) Pratap Reddy said that police have taken pre-cautionary measures to ensure the shutdown would be peaceful and nobody would be intimated to join the protest or disrupt normal life. “Protest rallies, processions and sit-in demonstrations would be allowed to be staged peacefully but stern action will be taken against trouble-makers and mischief-mongers," Mr Reddy asserted.
In view of the ongoing Ganesh festival, which began on Wednesday, security has been enhanced with additional deployment of reserved and armed police across cities of Mangalore, Udupi and Karwar.
"We are on guard and intensified patrolling in sensitive areas and check-posts. Special watch is being kept on vital installations and dense localities, including markets, railway stations, bus terminals and airport," he said.
Mangalore City Police Commissioner Manish Kharbikar said that police are undertaking extensive road patrolling, besides keeping ready adequate Reserve Police Force with vehicles at strategic centres to make them available on demand to deal with untoward situation, if any. Similarly, alert has been sounded to the fire brigade.
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