Karnataka Bandh: Buses, autos plie as usual
Bengaluru: The bandh call given by some pro-Kannada organisations to demand implementation of a report which recommended job reservation to Kannadigas had little effect on normal life in Bengaluru and other parts of the state on Thursday.
Barring a stray incident of stone pelting at a bus in Dakshina Kannada district, the bandh was peaceful in the morning hours.
Buses and autorickshaws plied as usual defying the bandh call given by the 'Karnataka Sangathanegala Okkoota', a consortium of organisations in Karnataka.
The organisers of the bandh are demanding implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi report which recommended that preference be given to natives of Karnataka in Central government and private jobs in the state.
In Bengaluru, city buses plied as usual though most of them ran almost empty as there were very few commuters.
Autorickshaws operated as usual though one of the autorickshaw drivers' associations had supported the bandh.
The main trade area of the city, KR Market and surrounding places had no effect of the bandh in the morning hours.
Pro-Kannada activists were on the city rounds appealing to traders to shut their shops in their support.
In Anekal near Attibele in the city on Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, activists reportedly tried to shut shops and business establishments forcibly.
At Pirangipet in Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada district, stones were pelted at a private bus in the morning.
Heavy deployment of policemen has been made at important locations to check untoward incidents.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had appealed to the pro-Kannda organisations to keep their agitation peaceful.
He said his government always stood for Kannada and Kannadigas and initiated measures to implement the Sarojini
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England sticking with Key, McCullum and Stokes despite Ashes humbling
London (AP): England is not sacking anybody following the 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia.
A review of the tour by the England and Wales Cricket Board, announced within hours of the final match in January, was concluded on Monday. Firing people would “be the easy thing to do,” ECB chief executive Richard Gould said but he insisted, "This is not the time to throw everything out."
Managing director Rob Key, coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes kept their jobs after the best England side to go to Australia in 14 years lost the Ashes in 11 days with two games to spare.
“Moving people on can sometimes be the easy thing to do. That's not the route that we're going to take,” Gould said. “I've seen the driving ambition and determination that we're lucky enough to have within our leadership group to take the lessons from the Ashes and move forward.”
Gould previously was the chief executive of Bristol City soccer club and said the ECB would not follow the same route as soccer's hire-and-fire culture.
“Cricket is a very unique sport in that it takes a team of leadership ... it's not like football where there's a single point of failure or success with a manager," he said. He added the ECB would not “select or deselect management based on a popularity campaign.”
The main criticisms of England's tour were poor preparation, player misbehavior, and selection mistakes.
At a press conference at Lord's, Gould and Key said McCullum and Stokes have not had a “bust up,” they did not want McCullum to “completely change” but “to evolve,” the behavior of some players was “unprofessional,” there will be more consequences for underperforming, and a commitment to “better long-term planning” ahead of major test series.
Some changes were already implemented for the Twenty20 World Cup, where England reached the semifinals. Gould implied that performance saved McCullum.
Key acknowledged that England supporters would be disappointed to see the management team go unpunished.
“I know people want punishment and that people then should be sacked for that,” Key said. “That doesn't mean we don't feel like we've gone through some serious pain: Brendon, myself, Ben. It's been as tough a time as I think I've had.”
