Congress withdraws state-wide bandh in Karnataka due to school exams

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 8 (ANI): The Karnataka Congress has decided to withdraw the two-hour state-wide bandh slated to be held tomorrow against the alleged corruption of the BJP government in the state in view of the PUC and other exams in the state, state party chief DK Shivakumar said on Wednesday.
Congress had called a two-hour bandh on Thursday from 9 am to 11 am against the BJP demanding Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's resignation.
In a statement today, Shivakumar said that the decision of the withdrawal was taken after deliberations with the party leaders after the parents and children approached him, Siddaramaiah and other leaders asking them to withdraw the bandh.
"Hundreds of parents, children and Associations of Students, as well as Parent Associations, have approached me, the KPCC President, CLP leader Siddaramaiah and other leaders of the Congress Party across the state requesting us to withdraw the "Karnataka bandh" as called for by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee on 9th March 2023 to protest against the all-round corruption of the BJP and the Bommai Government," Shivakumar said.
"It has been pointed out that PUC exams are being held on the morning of 9th March and it will cause huge inconvenience to the children," he added.
Earlier, Congress had called a bandh after several Congress leaders, led by former chief minister Siddaramaiah protested demanding the arrest of BJP MLA Madal Virupaksha, whose son was caught taking a bribe by the state's Lokayukta.
"The 9th Karnataka Bandh is a symbolical bandh of markets only for 2 hours from 9 AM-11AM only against "Corrupt BJP Govt". To avoid inconvenience, road-rail transport, educational institutions, exams, hospitals, essential services are all exempted and not a part of the bandh," said Surjewala in a tweet.
Last week, on Thursday, Karnataka Lokayukta officers caught Virupaksha's son, a chief accountant at Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), while he was allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 40 lakh from a contractor.
The anti-corruption wing of Lokayukta raided the residence of the MLA's son, Prashant Madal, during which they also recovered Rs 6 crore in cash.
"The anti-corruption branch of Lokayukta caught Prashanth Maadal, son of BJP MLA Maadal Virupakshappa while he was taking a bribe of Rs 40 lakh. Over Rs 1.7 crore in cash was recovered from his office," the Karnataka Lokayukta said in a statement earlier. (ANI)