Karnataka Congress calls off state-wide bandh on March 9 citing PUC exams

The Congress has decided to withdraw the state-wide bandh called as part of the party’s fight against alleged corruption by the ruling BJP.

Congress’ Karnataka unit President DK Shivakumar. (File photo)

By India Today Web Desk: The Karnataka unit of the Congress has decided to withdraw the two-hour-long bandh it had called on March 9 in the wake of the second year Pre-University (class 12) and other school and college exams in the state.

The bandh was called as part of Congress’ fight against alleged corruption by the ruling BJP.

“The Congress has decided to withdraw the symbolic Karnataka bandh which was supposed to be held tomorrow, due to the pressure from students and parents in the wake of school and college examinations, including the second PUC examination,” the party’s state unit President DK Shivakumar said in a statement.

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Shivakumar said, “But students and parents expressed their concerns that bandh will cause inconvenience to them as there are exams. Their welfare is our priority. So respecting their feelings, we have decided to withdraw the bandh call.”

Shivakumar, however, stressed that their struggle against BJP corruption will continue.

The Congress had decided to hold a symbolic bandh for two hours from 9 am to 11 am on March 9 to protest the alleged rampant corruption by the BJP government and to demand the resignation of the Chief Minister.

The call for bandh came following the recovery of over Rs 8 crore cash from its MLA Madal Virupakshappa’s son Prashanth Kumar M V, by the Lokayukta, in an apparent bribery case.