Bengaluru: Bandh, baaja, baaraat, but what’s the use?

Bengaluru: The bandh called by various Kannada outfits to protest the increasing sexual assaults on women and children did not bring life to a halt in the city as expected. Although commercial establishments, schools and colleges had announced a holiday, life in the city was largely unaffected as most autorickshaws, cabs and BMTC buses worked as usual. And except for two stray incidents of stone pelting on BMTC buses, there was no unrest anywhere.

The response was equally poor in most other parts except in a few districts like Chikkaballapur, Tumkur, and Kolar where the bandh was near total. With only around 30 per cent of the autos participating in the bandh, many commuters in the city had an easy time on the streets. And according to the traffic police there were no complaints about any of them fleecing passengers.

Airport taxis, other cabs and the BMTC’s Vayu Vajra services also plied as usual. One air passenger, Ganesh Gudigar, who was travelling to New Delhi, said he had no trouble getting a Vayu Vajra bus to the airport.

Attendance was thin in private firms and at the Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha, although the state government had not announced a holiday on Thursday.

“Most employees didn’t turn up although BMTC services were intact and most government cars were on duty,” said a government officer. Most employees of the BBMP and BDA too took the day off with only senior officials turning up for routine work. But pourakarmikas came to work as usual in all city zones leaving garbage disposal unaffected across the city.

With many private firms reporting thin attendance, several have directed their employees to work on Sunday as compensation. “We had given our employees the option of working from home, but staff serving US based clients turned up for duty,” said a HR executive with an IT company.

While private schools had declared a holiday on Thursday, some held special classes for students of classes IX and X. All government schools in the city remained open, but didn’t see too many students.“No holiday was announced for the government schools. But students’ attendance was poor, although most teachers were present,” said an officer of the Department of Public Instruction.

All medical, engineering and MBA colleges remained shut, however. City hoteliers’ association said most of darshinis and mid-size hotels were shut on Thursday, but small eateries in the Central Business District (CBD) and West and South Bengaluru remained open through the day.

All theatres and multiplexes, cancelled morning shows, but functioned as usual in the afternoon. There were not many takers as the public took it for granted that there would be no shows during the bandh.

As hospitals were exempt, both government and private functioned as usual, but did not see many patients.

Lokayukta Justice N. Santosh Hegde says bandhs go against a Supreme Court order and violate the right of the citizens to free movement.

“The Constitution guarantees us the freedom to get around and do any profession we want. But bandhs stop us from enjoying these rights. The reason for a bandh call may be valid, but it goes against the common man. What about the daily wage earners, auto drivers, and poor labourers who depend on the day’s earnings?” he asks.

Activist, R.K. Misra suggests that instead of calling a bandh, the organisations concerned should work towards empowering women and creating awareness about their safety and security.

The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), meanwhile warns that the present protest will cause a loss of Rs 1,300 crore to the state exchequer. “We will lose revenue to the tune of Rs 750 crore in Bengaluru alone. We appreciate people’s concern for women’s safety, but a bandh will not serve any purpose,” says S. Sampathraman, chairman, FKCCI.