Madikeri : Except for a stone-pelting incident at Chain Gate, the rest of Kodagu was unaffected by the nationwide bandh call by various trade unions on Wednesday.

Anganwadi centres and post offices remained closed while schools, colleges, City Municipal Council office, banks, taluk office and other government establishments functioned normally. Private buses ferried passengers as usual. Autorickshaw Drivers and Owners Association also did not lend their support to the bandh. Shops, medical stores and hospitals also functioned like any other day.

District Centre of Indian Trade Union, KSRTC workers, All India Postal Workers Association Kodagu division, BSNL contract workers, LIC staff, construction workers, Gram Panchayat Workers’ Association, District Hospital Employees’ Association district anganwadi workers supported the bandh on Wednesday. Protest meets were also held in Virajpet, Napoklu and Somwarpet.

A protest rally was taken out from Sudarshan Circle to the DC’s office in Madikeri. The protestors raised slogans against the Central government.

Gathering in front of the DC’s office, hundreds of protestors pressed for the fulfilment of their demands.

H B Ramesh, JCTU convener, said that around 30 crore workers from various organisations have been protesting against the Central government.

“The government should take measures to provide a minimum wage of Rs 21,000 to a labourer. The labour act should not be amended. Necessary action should be taken to curb the rising prices. Job security should be provided to every worker. A monthly pension of Rs 10,000 should be provided. The contract employment system should be scrapped. Equal wages should be provided to equal work,” he said.

Anganwadi Workers’ and Assistants’ Association President K S Muttamma said that the anganwadi workers have no security for life. They are deprived of minimum wages and other facilities.

Asha Workers’ Association district unit President Tekkada Poornima said that not even a paisa has been paid to Asha workers from the past 15 months.

A huge convention was conducted in Bengaluru recently. But, there has been no use, she said and declared of calling off duties till the arrears are paid.

CITU district president A Mahadeva, convener B Ravi and taluk secretary Akkamma were present.

The situation got tense when unidentified miscreants pelted stones at a KSRTC bus near Chain Gate on the outskirts of Madikeri on Wednesday morning. The windshield of the bus has been damaged.

The KSRTC bus was bound for Bengaluru from Madikeri, via Mysuru. When the vehicle reached Chain Gate, miscreants pelted stones at the bus and fled from the spot. However, nobody was injured during the incident. The police conducted a spot inspection.