Trade union strike, Day 2: Karnataka bus services halted, school, colleges shut

Bus services were Wednesday hampered across Karnataka on the second day of the two-day nationwide strike called by trade unions against the alleged repressive labour policies of the Narendra Modi government, officials said. Causing severe inconvenience to commuters, hundreds of protesters from the Left trade unions disrupted the bus services at Majestic, the Central Bus Stand here, Transport Department officials said.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses also remained stationed in their respective depots across the state as protesters damaged the vehicles. The auto-rickshaws and drivers of cab aggregators did not take part in the strike on the second day after initial support for a few hours on Tuesday. People, however, went about their day-to-day activities as usual. The trade union workers took out rallies in several parts of the state holding placards, flags and raised slogans against the central government.

Police said attempts were made to disrupt train services but it was foiled by them and the Railway Protection Force, police said. In the state capital, the protesters led by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) staged a demonstration at the Town Hall and Majestic and took out a massive rally resulting in a severe traffic jam. Protesters hurled stones at the KSRTC buses on Magadi Road and near Yelahanka in Bengaluru. Some schools and colleges in the city remained shut. Metro rail was the saviour for commuters as its services remained unaffected. In Davangere, protesters disrupted the bus services, staged a demonstration and burnt the effigy of prime minister to vent their anger against the central government's policies for workers.

The organisers said rallies were taken out in Kalaburagi, Hubballi, Bagalkote, Karwar, Chikkodi, Hubballi, Udupi and Vijayaura. Agitators pelted some trains with stones in Kalaburagi and Ballari, railways sources said. Adequate arrangements were made across the state to ensure law and order and safety of public and government vehicles during the Bandh on Wednesday.

(With inputs from agencies.)