Karnataka Bandh on March 22: Schools, Colleges and Offices Declare Holiday

Kannada Okkuta, an umbrella organization representing various pro-Kannada groups, has called for a statewide bandh (shutdown) on Saturday, March 22. The protest is in response to an alleged assault on a state-run bus conductor in Belagavi last month for not knowing Marathi.

The bandh is expected to disrupt public transport, educational institutions, and businesses across Karnataka. With SSLC (Class 10) exams commencing on March 21, the state government has clarified that it will not support the shutdown, emphasizing that it could adversely affect lakhs of students preparing for their exams.

In Bengaluru, partial closures and disruptions in public transport are anticipated as multiple pro-Kannada organizations extend their support to the bandh. Several educational institutions have declared a holiday as a precautionary measure. Public transport services, including BMTC and KSRTC buses, may be affected, with some potentially going off the roads depending on the situation.

Deputy CM Shivakumar Opposes Karnataka Bandh

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has stated that the government does not endorse the bandh. Speaking in the Legislative Council, he assured that the administration would engage with pro-Kannada organizations to dissuade them from proceeding with the shutdown, calling it an inappropriate approach.

Shivakumar’s remarks came in response to Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, who raised concerns over the bandh’s potential impact on SSLC students appearing for exams on the same day.