BJP chokes City in the name of democracy

BJP chokes City in the name of democracy
Bangalore, DHNS:
The worst hit were M G Road, Queens Road, Raj Bhavan road, Cubbon Road, Ambedkar Veedhi, Kasturba Road, St Marks Road and all roads inside Cubbon Park.

The BJP on Wednesday virtually brought the Central Business Districts of the City to a standstill as its activists hit the road in thousands as part of the party’s “save democracy” protest, urging Governor Rameshwar Thakur to invite B S Yeddyurappa to form government.

Traffic on almost all roads in the heart of the City went haywire when thousands of BJP workers, along with their leaders, descended on Mahatma Gandhi statue on MG Road for the protest. The partymen arrived in hundreds of buses, lorries, cars and two-wheelers that were parked anywhere and everywhere, thr-owing the traffic out of gear for nearly four hours.

All vehicular movement between Minsk Square and Jewels De Paragon Circle was stopped by erecting barricades. The situation became worse when the protesters started walking on Cubbon Road..

The worst hit were M G Road, Queen’s Road, Raj Bhavan road, Cubbon Road, Ambedkar Veedhi, Kasturba Road, St Marks Road and all roads inside Cubbon Park.

Lack of preparedness on the part of the City traffic police also contributed to the chaos as vehicle movement was sought to be diverted on to other roads in the last minute.
Though the BJP had announced its protest well in advance, the police were found wanting when the snarl unfurled.
However, no political party is taking out any protest on Thursday.

There was a red outline to the chaos as well. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a protest near GPO on the intersection of Ambedkar Veedhi and Raj Bhavan Road.

The CITU was demanding the enactment of the Unorganised Workers (Condition of Employment) Bill as recommended by the National Commission on Enterprises in Unorganised Sector.

The Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union also joined the protesters and demanded housing facilities for drivers in various parts of the City, ban on new permits and some welfare measures.

Public fume
“Bangalore is known for frightful traffic jams. We don’t have the liberty to worsen it any more, even in the name of a democratic right or a humane cause,” said Sonali, a student at STG, Cunningham Road.

“Ask these political leaders to drive on the City roads during peak hours; they’ll understand what commuters have to go through. We were not even informed about this additional problem so that we could take a different route,” said Imteyaz Khan, a student of Rooman Technology, Brigade Road.

He took over 45 minutes to reach M G Road from Cubbon Park on Wednesday.

“I don’t understand why all the protests have to be staged on important roads, traumatising the public. M G Road and other roads in the surroundings already have traffic problems and these protests and dharnas add to the problems,” said Vineet, a student of Al Ameen College.