Bharat Bandh: Second day evokes good response across state
Buses stoned, more than 60 buses damaged
# Bus services hampered, normal life paralyzed
Bengaluru, Jan 9: The Bharat Bandh called by labour organisations against the anti-labour policies of the central government on Wednesday evoked good response across the state and majority of labour organisations took to the streets ànd protested against the central government policies.
On the first day, the bandh was restricted just to symbolic protest. But on the second day, the labourers took to the streets due to which almost all factories and industries in the state remained closed.
ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, mid-day meals workers, gram Panchayat workers and others working under Various sectors participated in the protest.
As the KSRTC, BMTC and other transportation companies were on the roads. As some miscreants pelted stones at buses, the service of BMTC buses was suspended till afternoon.
Except holiday announced for schools and colleges in Raichur and Ballari districts, the schools and colleges were remained open. The labourers staged protests in Tumkur, Mandya, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Ramanagar, Hosakote, Nelamangala, Hassan, Davangere, Hubballi, Shivamogga, Karwar, Mysuru, Kalaburgi, Belagavi, Gadag and Mangaluru and made the bandh a success.
Buses stoned
While staging protests, miscreants pelted stones at buses due to which more than 60 buses were damaged. Four buses each in Ballari and Nelamangala, five in Ramanagar and 12 KSRTC buses in Bengaluru were damaged. Around 47 BMTC buses were stoned. A BMTC bus driver was injured, it is said.
50 lakh labourers participated
"In the two days, around 20 crore labourers including 50 lakh in state participated in the bandh and created a history."
- S Varalakshmi, CITU State President
"The central government has planned to pledge more than 120 crore people and resources to the foreign contractors. Condemning this, many protests were conducted earlier. Even then, this bandh got importance and crores of labourers supported it".
- HV Anantha Subbarao, AITUC President
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
