No holiday for schools and colleges in Chikmagaluru, Kodagu: DC
Bharat Bandh
Chikmagaluru, Jan 7: The associations of auto, lorry and taxi owners and drivers have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh called by various labour organisations on January 8. In view of this, the normal life in the district on Tuesday and Wednesday may affect.
But in Kodagu, the chances of getting support for the bandh are bleak. The private buses would ply as usual and schools and colleges would remain open. Following the bandh call, labour organizations in Kodagu also appealed the people and various other organizations to extend their support.
But Kodagu district would stay away from the bandh and only labourers would conduct protests in three taluks. Moreover, Deputy Commissioner Srividya clarified that there would be no holiday for schools and colleges.
However, the bandh call gets good response in Chikmagaluru district. As the KSRTC labour union has extended its support to the bandh across the state, the KSRTC buses would stay away from service on Tuesday and Wednesday. But the private bus owners association has not yet taken any decision to support the bandh. The absence of KSRTC bus service would certainly hit the normal life and students.
Deputy Commissioner MK Srirangaiah on Monday announced that there would be no holiday for schools and colleges on Tuesday. But due to the absence of KSRTC bus service, the students might face the problems. All medical shops would be functioning and the private hospitals have not yet announced their decisions. Majority of the private hospitals and government hospitals, hotels would function normally.
As the associations of lorry, auto, taxi owners and drivers have extended their support to the bandh, lorries, taxis and autos would stay away from the roads. Along with them, Raita Sangha, Hasiru Sene, LIC Association, Bank Employees Associations, ASHA workers association, Anganwadi Workers Association, Transport Workers Association, Mid-day Meals Employees Association, Plantation Workers Association and other organizations have also extended their support to the bandh.
Kodagu
The bandh call given by various labour organizations against the central government got no support in the district. Private bus service would be as usual and schools and colleges would also function. DC Srividya has already clarified that there would be no holiday for schools and colleges tomorrow.
Private Bus Owners Association president Hosur Ramesh Joyappa said that the private buses would function normally. Auto Owners and Drivers Association president DH Medappa also said that the auto service would be there in the district. Even the merchants of the district have not extended their support to the bandh.
Appeal for support
Meanwhile, Labour Organisations Joint Action Committee district leader and Anganwadi Workers association leader TP Ramesh appealed the people and organizations to support the bandh call given against the central government demanding controlling price rise, job opportunities, minimum wage of Rs 18,000 as per the 7th Pay Commission, regularization of contract workers, do not privatise the public sector industries, provide social security and implement the recommendations of Dr Swaminathan Committee report on solving the agriculture problems and farmers suicide.
Protest
A protest march would be held at Gandhi Maidan in Madikeri, near Mariyamma temple in Virajpet and Somawarpete on January 8 at 10.30 am. On January 9 at 11 am, a protest march would be taken out from Chowki Circle to Gandhi Maidan. Employees of corporate sector, BSNL, LIC, KSRTC, Plantation workers, Bank organizations, anganwadi, ASHA, mid-day meals, library, gram panchayat, hospitals, porters, farmers, farm labourers, postal organizations, construction labourers, drivers, unorganized sector workers, unemployed youths were appealed to participate in the protest, he said.
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Misuse of power, money to control election mechanism seen during Maharashtra polls: Sharad Pawar
Pune (PTI): NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday claimed the misuse of power and money to control the entire election mechanism, which was never before seen in any state assembly or national polls, was witnessed in Maharashtra.
Pawar made the statement when he visited senior activist Dr Baba Adhav, who is protesting against the alleged "misuse of EVMs" in the recent state polls in Maharashtra.
Adhav, who is in his 90s, began his three-day protest at Phule Wada, the residence of social reformer Jyotiba Phule, in the city on Thursday.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), have been alleging manipulation of EVMs in the recently held Maharashtra Assembly elections, which saw a landslide victory by the Mahayuti.
The Mahayuti, comprising the Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP, won 230 out of 288 assembly seats in the November 20 polls, while the MVA managed just 46 seats.Talking to reporters, Pawar said elections were conducted recently in the country, and there is a restlessness among the people about these.
Baba Adhav's agitation represents this restlessness, he said.
He said, "There is a murmur among the people that the recent polls in Maharashtra saw 'misuse of power' and 'floods of money', which was never seen in the past. Such things are heard of in local-level polls, but taking over the entire election mechanism with the help of money and misuse of power was not seen before. However, we witnessed it in Maharashtra, and people are restless now."
He added that people were recalling late socialist ideologue Jaiprakash Narayan and felt somebody should take a step forward.
"I heard Baba Adhav has taken a lead into this issue and is agitating at Phule Wada. His protest gives hope to the people, but it is not enough. A mass revolt is necessary, as the danger of the parliamentary democracy getting destroyed looms," Pawar said.
The former Union minister said those who have reins of the country in their hands are least bothered about this.
"Despite widespread discussion over it (alleged misuse of EVMs) in the country, whenever the opposition tries to raise the issue in the Parliament, they are not allowed to speak. Opposition leaders have been seeking an opportunity to speak on these issues for six days, but their demands have not been accepted even once. It shows they want to attack parliamentary democracy," he claimed.
He said Dr Adhav's protest is a fine example of someone revolting against the issue and expressed confidence that his protest will create a ripple effect.
