Retailers across Tamil Nadu to shut shop in protest against Karnataka violence

Retail industry bodies claim over Rs 2,000 crore loss due to violence across the border

Retailers in Tamil Nadu have said that their industry, along with the bus and truck transport sector, would have lost around Rs 2,000 crore due to the ongoing violence in Karnataka. The associations representing these retailers have called for state-wide closure of shops for one day on Friday to mark their protest.

The Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu (Federation of Tamil Nadu Traders' Association) an apex traders' body, has called for a day-long bandh to protest against the attacks on commercial establishments in Karnataka in the wake of the ongoing Cauvery crisis.

A M Vikramaraja, president,Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peramaippu (Federation of Tamil Nadu Traders' Association) claimed that Tamil traders, lorry and bus operators have incurred around Rs 2,000 crore loss due to the protest by Kannada groups, targeting commercial establishments,besides attacking vehicles.

Commercial establishments owing allegiance to the Federation would down shutters on Friday, he said, while appealing for the support of other trade bodies also.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also planning to demonstrate against the ruling Congress Government in Karnataka alleging that it has failed to protect Tamilians in Karnataka.

In Chennai, unidentified men pelted stones at an ATM of Karnataka Bank, damaging the glass panes, police said. On the other side, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, led by Bhimu Naik, district unit president, closed the Tamil Nadu Mercantile Bank, located on Chitapur Road in Yadgir city. They were condemning attacks on Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu,

Activists also held protests outside hotels owned by natives of Karnataka in different places in Chennai and 10 people were arrested when they tried to enter the premises at Mylapore.

At Coimbatore, at least 30 activists were arrested after they were raising slogans against Karnataka and went to Karnataka Association hall in Tatabad.

At Neyveli, police foiled protestors' bid to burn an effigy of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah and detained activists of the Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi.

Meanwhile, Coimbatore district Omnibus Owners Association has decided not to ply their vehicles to Karnataka for fear of attacks on the vehicles and crew.

Its secretary P Senthilkumar told reporters after a meeting of the association that 12 buses had been severely damaged during the past two days. Considering the prevailing situation, it was decided not to ply buses to Karnataka till normalcy returned in that state, he added.

Factories operating in Hosur on the Tamil Nadu and Bengalaru border have not felt the heat so far. Manufacturing companies including Ashok Leyland and TVS Motor have said that operations in their factories have not been affected.

IT companies in Chennai were working normally, unlike its branches in the IT capital of Bengaluru.