Pro-Kannada organizations call for Karnataka bandh on March 22 over Belagavi incidents

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 21 (ANI): Pro-Kannada organizations, led by the Kannada Vatal Party, have called for a Karnataka Bandh on March 22 (Saturday) in protest against recent incidents in Belagavi, including an attack on a KSRTC bus conductor and vandalism of a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus in Maharashtra.
The Karnataka Private Schools Union has extended moral support, but other unions didn't give their support to the bandh and said Examinations are underway in many districts, including Bengaluru, and no holidays have been declared. Similarly, private colleges will remain open.
"The bandh does not have the support of our organization. The organization will not participate in the bandh in any form," Karnataka Rakshana Vedike State President TA Narayana Gowda said in a statement.
He added that large-scale protests were held in Belagavi after an official was attacked. A false POCSO case was also reportedly suppressed, and the inspector who registered the case was transferred. However, the police commissioner has assured that a bandh is unnecessary, he said.
According to reports, Metro services, BMTC and KSRTC buses, schools and colleges, markets, hospitals, and medical services will function as usual. Restaurants, hotels, bars, and pubs will also remain open.
The bandh has been called as Kannada organisations demand strict action against those responsible for violence against Kannadigas and measures to prevent such incidents in the future. (ANI)