# 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

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Varanasi (UP) (PTI): Over 150 two-wheelers were destroyed in a fire that broke out at a parking stand in Varanasi's Cantt railway station, officials said on Saturday.

There were no reports of any casualties.

The incident took place on Friday night when the fire erupted near the platform one parking stand, according to railway officials.

Upon receiving information about the incident, teams from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) along with the fire department rushed to the spot to douse the flames, they said.

The blaze was brought under control but over 150 vehicles were reduced to ashes, they added.

Additional Divisional Railway Manager Lalji Chaudhary expressed regret over the incident.

He said that the parking stand was set up for railway employees and because of the fire there has been a lot of damage.

There has been no loss of life of any kind in the fire, Chaudhary said, adding that a committee has been formed to investigate the matter.