The bandh called by the opposition parties in Tamil Nadu against the Centre has hit normal life in many parts of the state. Several markets and roads in different cities wore a deserted look. In Chennai, DMK workers including its working president MK Stalin were detained by the police. Besides DMK, Congress, CPI, CPM leaders were also seen participating in the ‘road-roko’ protest. Speaking to reporters, Stalin said that the strike was succesful and thaked all those who backed the DMK. In the capital, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Su Thirunavukkarasar and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan too joined the DMK’s demonstration.
The decision to call for a bandh was taken at an all-party meeting convened by the DMK last evening. The meeting was attended by leaders of the Congress, CPI, CPM and others. Political parties in Tamil Nadu have been accusing the Centre of favouring Karnataka by not adhering to Supreme Court’s February 16. The SC had directed the Centre to come up with a ‘scheme’ on the distribution of Cauvery river water among TN, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry. The court had granted six-week time to the government. But on March 30, a day after the deadline ended, the Centre filed a petition seeking clarification and three more months’ time citing assembly elections in Karnataka.
In Chennai, minimal government buses and radio taxis plied on the roads while autorickshaws stayed off completely. A southern railway official said that suburban and long distance train services are operating smoothly. In Salem and Tirunelvelli, DMK workers were seen protesting in front of a passenger train, but police managed to disperse them.
A key traders body is backing the opposition parties’ bandh. Retail outlets, grocery shops and establishments were closed in most of the places. Cauvery delta districts of Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur are also hit by the shutdown. Shops in Erode, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram downed their shutters.
In Coimbatore, DMK workers were seen holding rubber rats in their mouth to protest against the Centre. In Tiruchirappalli, former minister and DMK strongman KN Nehru was leading a rally. In neighbouring Puducherry, transport services were also affected. Three buses belonging to Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation were damaged.
Buses of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) are also not operating today. The transport body said that buses were stopped in Hosur on Wednesday midnight.
According to PTI, banks, pharmacies, hospitals and schools are open and functioning smoothly. Petrol pumps across the state are also operating normally. Also, milk supply was not affected anywhere. As per reports, government offices are continuing with their daily work despite the bandh call.
Meanwhile, over one lakh police personnel have been deployed across that state. Alone in Chennai, the administration has stationed over 20,000 security staff.
The DMK and other opposition parties are staging protests across the state for the past four days against the Centre’s delay in formulating a ‘scheme’ to distribute Cauvery river water among four parties — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.
Earlier on Tuesday, the ruling AIADMK had held a day-long hunger strike across the state. to Chief Minister K Palanisami and his deputy O Panneerselvam were also seen sitting on fast.
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