Vatal Nagaraj appeals to Kannada activists to support March 22 bandh

NT Correspondent

Mysuru: Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader and former MLA Vatal Nagaraj on Wednesday stated that Karnataka Bandh will be observed on March 22 from dawn to dusk ( 6 am to 6 pm) from Chamarajanagar to Belagavi to protest against the harassment of a Kannada-speaking bus conductor in Belagavi and to urge the state government to ban the activities of Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi(MES) in Karnataka.

During the bandh, Kannadigas will also demand that the state and Union governments fulfil various demands of Kannada organizations, he said. Speaking to reporters after meeting private and state-run KSRTC bus conductors and drivers in Mysuru, he asked them to extend their support to the bandh. Even though the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike factions led by TA Narayana Gowda and Praveen Shetty have not supported the bandh, several other Kannada organizations have extended their support, Vatal claimed adding that transport associations, including the Ola, Uber Owners and Drivers Association, along with a few private bus associations and autorickshaw unions, have supported the call.

He asked traders, shopping malls and theatres to remain shut and student and farmer organizations to extend support to the bandh call. Nagaraj wanted the state government to restrict the entry of Shiv Sena activists into the state. He also asked people not to use the Metro during the bandh to protest against the fare hike. He also appealed to Sandalwood actors and the film industry to support the Karnataka bandh.