City thrown out of gear!

Widespread protests by Congress workers against the continuance of the BJP government threw life out-of-gear and caused a major inconvenience to Bangaloreans yesterday.

The daylong protests began at 11 am on Bannerghatta Road, which houses a majority of big firms. Traffic jams ran into over half a kilometer at this stretch. The protest at Madivala check post sponsored by Congress had its effect mostly on IT major Accenture.


Congress supporters swarmed in large numbers to protest against the
BJP government in the state and burnt effigy of Chief Minister
Yeddyurappa


A traffic jam caused due the protest


BJP workers protest against the Governor at Town Hall.
Pics/Satish Badiger & Ramesh HS

"I had to meet a German client at Windsor Manor hotel at 12 pm, but got struck in traffic and was late by an hour. Imagine what a bad impression it was," said Rateesh, an employee of the firm.

The scene was no different on the Mysore Road from where KPCC president G Parmeshwar was arrested.

Flaming effigies, tearing of posters and other acts made things worse for the general public. Vishwa who works for 24x7 BPO said, "I had opted for a nightshift, anticipating this menace. Firstly, we are fed up with the traffic jams and bottlenecks. To top it all, protests like these will only add to the frustration."

Students bear brunt
The supplementary exams for B.Com students were going on, but many students were delayed by about 10 to 15 minutes. "I had to give my service management exam at 2 pm in Baldwin College. I was preparing at a friends place at Malleshwaram and left there at 12 pm. That did not help as I got stuck in slow moving traffic for two hours," said Fayaz, a student.

When informed that such protests create inconvenience for commuters, Parameshwar said, "We are doing a peaceful protest to highlight the corrupt BJP government and to impose president rule in the state."

Party insiders assert that Reddy brothers bore all expenses to take entourage of BJP MLAs to Rashtrapathi Bhavan. The legislators paraded before the president to show the majority that the Yeddyurappa-led government is enjoying in the state assembly.