Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai urged Kannada activists to call off statewide bandh on December 31.
The group of pro-Kannada activists has called the state bandh demanding the ban of Maharashtra Ekikarana Samiti (MES), which might receive a lukewarm response from the public as most of the organizations have extended moral support and decided not to close their businesses.
On Wednesday Bommai had asked Kannada activists to withdraw their state-wide ‘bandh’ call on Friday since the government has already taken action against “anti-Kannada forces” and was examining their demand for MES ban legally.
Dispute rose when some miscreants burnt the Kannada flag at Halasi village of Khanapur taluk and also defaced the statue of freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna amid the ongoing dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka over the Belagavi region.
Also Read: Pro-Kannada organizations seek ban on Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi, call for bandh
Bommai said, “I appeal to activists… as per their wishes, we have already taken several decisions. We have taken strict action as per law against anti-Kannada forces. On the demand for banning MES, we are examining it legally. So I appeal to them through the media not to go ahead with the bandh. Bandh is not an answer for everything.”
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra have also requested Kannada Okkuta, headed by pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj to protest in peace rather than calling a bandh. Covid lockdowns have affected the working class for two years. It is not right to call for a bandh. The organisers of the bandh are yet to state their decision on the bandh call.
Hotel associations and Travel associations have said that they will be extending moral support only. New year's eve is the peak time for business. To stop the bandh from fructifying, the state government imposed a night curfew which is already taking away half of the business as expected.
Also Read: Miscreants burn Kannada flag, deface Basavanna's portrait in Belagavi
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) has already submitted a letter to CM and the government demanding the same.
KRV president Praveen Shetty has also requested Vatal Nagaraj to withdraw from the bandh.
