BJP call for Karna bandh over farm loan waiver evokes tepid response

The opposition BJP's appeal to farmers and the public to "voluntarily observe a bandh" across Karnataka today to protest the alleged failure of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to keep up his farm loan waiver promise evoked a tepid response.

Normal life was not impacted as schools and colleges functioned normally, as also the public transport service. No major farmer of pro-Kannada organisation supported the bandh call, citing a political motive behind it.

Bengaluru was exempted from the bandh due to polls today in Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly constituency, which was countermanded over voter ID controversy and alleged electoral malpractices. No major untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state, police said.

BJP workers and leaders held protest marches and demonstrations at various places in the state. Party workers allegedly tried to force closure of shops and stop public transport at several places, including Belagavi, Koppal, Ballari and Chikkamagaluru, but police intervened and ensured normalcy.

In Chitradurga, a group of people claiming to be BJP workers, shouting slogans against Kumaraswamy, pelted stones at a government run Indira Canteen, damaging windows.

Police detained the protesters. BJP's flip-flop regarding the bandh also caused confusion among party workers and public. In a fierce attack on the coalition government headedby Kumaraswamy, BJP state chief B S Yeddyurappa during the trust vote on Friday had termed it "unholy" and announced a state wide bandh today if farm loans worth Rs 53,000 crorewere not waived immediately as promised.

However, on Saturday Yeddyurappa, who is also leader of the opposition in the assembly, said BJP had not called for a bandh, but was only supporting a call givenby farmers. BJP state General Secretary N Ravi Kumar in a statement released yesterday had appealed to farmers and the public to observe a bandh "voluntarily" today.

On his part, Kumaraswamy, who had promised farm loan waiver immediately after coming to power, has sought time, as he was heading a coalition government with Congress and would have to consult them before taking any decision. He has also said that he would have to analyse the financial condition of the state before taking the decision.

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