Bandh against HC hijab verdict partial, peaceful in Karnataka

Bengaluru/ Mangaluru/ Shivamogga: The bandh called by Muslim organisations under the Karnataka Muslim Okkoota, on Thursday received a mixed response in the State. The bandh passed off peacefully. Elaborate security arrangements were made by the police to prevent any untoward incident.

The bandh called in protest against the Karnataka High Court verdict upholding ban on hijab in schools and colleges was partial in Bengaluru and other cities. However, it was total only in Muslim dominated areas.

Business establishments owned by Muslim traders were closed for the day. The well-known scrap metal and old auto parts bazaar, known as 'Chor Bazaar' of Bengaluru city was fully closed. Almost 70 percent of shops and business establishments were closed in the areas behind the Russel market, Commercial street, Gangenahally, Tasker town.

All the top Muslim-owned hotels in the city like Imperial on Residency Road, Empire chain of hotels starting from Church Street, Nandidurg road, on the state highway between Mysuru-Bengaluru, the famous Taj Hotel in Shivajinagar were closed.

The BMTC services remained unaffected. "We operated all 5452 services, though in some areas, passenger volumes were low due to the sparse movement of the people from place to place especially in the Shivajinagar, Chamarajpet and Yeshwanthpur sector," said an official.

The BMRCL (Metro) services ran as usual on all the four routes. Similarly, KSRTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC operations were unaffected.

Life was normal in most parts of the city. The Bunder area which is a trading port town in the city was however totally closed as most of the traders are Muslims.

A few transport operators who run city and mofussil bus services had suspended their services.

In Mysuru, Muslims-owned businesses were completely shut down.

In Udupi, where the hijab issue germinated, most of the business establishments managed by Muslims were closed. While some of those who opened stores claimed that the verdict had already harmed their business prospects and that there was no purpose in observing another bandh.

Muslim traders in Kaup, Uchila, Belapu, and other locations observed a bandh.

Kuyilady Suresh Nayak, BJP Udupi district president, said that the against court verdict was not a healthy development in a democratic society.

The bandh passed off peacefully in Shivamogga which is the second city after Udupi where things had gotten out of hand during communal disturbances in the wake of hijab ban.

Bhatkal also saw bandh effect only in areas dominated by Muslims.