Padmaavat row: Karni Sena's bandh evokes tepid response in Guj

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The nationwide bandh call given by the Karni Sena against the release of film "Padmaavat" today failed to make any major impact in Gujarat, as educational institutions, offices and markets remained open in most parts of the state.
However, as a precautionary measure, the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) has suspended its bus services from Ahmedabad to Mehsana and Banaskantha, an official said.
"Since several buses were targeted on these routes in the last few days, we have suspended the bus services from Ahmedabad to Mehsana and Banaskantha of north Gujarat," Ahmedabad divisional controller A K Parmar said.
"We will resume services on these routes after assessing the situation. The buses on all other routes are running as per schedule," he added.

According to the state police control room, no untoward incident has been reported in any part of the state since this morning amid the call for bandh (general strike).
The routine life in major cities and towns remained largely unaffected as educational institutions and commercial establishments remained open.

While the normal life in Rajkot city remained unaffected, some persons, claiming to be associated with the Karni Sena, came out on roads and forced some shops and schools to shut, police said.
Gujarat education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama yesterday announced that schools and colleges will remain open today as majority of the Rajput bodies agreed not to join the bandh call, after theatre owners in the state declined to screen "Padmaavat".

Over 20,000 policemen as well as paramilitary personnel have been deployed across the state to thwart any attempt to disturb peace, police said.
Though the multiplexes and theatres have already announced not to screen the movie, which released today, the police and paramilitary have been deployed outside all the theatres in the city, an official said.
Along with the regular police force, 16 companies of paramilitary forces, such as the Border Security Force and Rapid Action Force, and nine companies of State Reserve Police Force have been deployed across the state to maintain law and order, in-charge DGP Pramod Kumar yesterday said.

The movie, featuring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in the lead roles, is based on the saga of a historic 13th century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh and his army of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.