Dividing Ballari: Bandh evokes mixed response

BALLARI: The bandh call issued by several organisations to oppose the Yediyurappa government’s move to bifurcate Ballari district evoked mixed response on Tuesday. The bandh was incident-free.
Business establishments, cinema halls and hotels in the district remained shut. State buses went off the road in response to the dawn-to-dusk shutdown call, but state and central government offices and banking establishments functioned normally.
Interestingly, Hospet — a taluk that’s set to be headquarters of the proposed Vijayanagara district — saw spontaneous agitations during the day urging the government to fast-track its plan to carve out a new district.Out of the blue, the people of Huvinahadagali said they will launch an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday seeking district status for the taluk.
Protesters burnt effigies of chief minister BS Yediyurappa, disqualified MLA BS Anand Singh, Congress leaders KC Kondaiah and Allum Veerabhadrappa and many BJP leaders who are keen on splitting up the district. They tried to stop the vehicle of Ballari taluk tahsildar E Nagaraj.
Ballari superintendent of police CK Baba said they had sent in reinforcements to ensure the bandh was peaceful. Deputy commissioner SS Nakul said he would attend a meeting in Bengaluru, called by the CM, on Wednesday to discuss the Vijayanagara district proposal with details on topography, national highways, state highways, and population distribution.
Former Congress minister M Diwakar Babu said Ballari is rich in geography, language and history, and he wouldn’t allow bifurcation of the district. His party colleagues, KC Kondaiah and Allum Veerabhadrappa said they prefer the formation of Vijayanagara district to facilitate better administration and equitable distribution of resources.