Hartal called by Muslim body peaceful

Kochi, May 31: The dawn-to-dusk hartal, called by the Muslim Ekopana Samithi was partial in the district on Tuesday as shops and offices remain closed and private buses kept off road in the city limits. While shops remained opened in rural areas, the hartal failed to make an impact on the movement of private vehicles.

The hartal was called in protest against the police action against protesters who took out a march on Monday towards the high court, which annulled the marriage of a converted woman recently.

Since KSRTC buses conducted services, local people did not feel the pinch of hartal. But people travelling from other places found it difficult as there were no private bus services and cabs. Autorickshaws and private vehicles plied but many of the passengers got stuck in railway station and bus stations. "People should resort to other modes of protest other than hartal to express their opposition against a particular issue. Hartal is not a solution but a burden for the public," said Sudheer, a passenger who was waiting at the KSRTC bus stand.

Hotels and medical stores remained closed, which caused difficulties for people. "We came to see Kochi but we could not see much due to the strike,'' said a group of travellers from Delhi. Schools and Colleges remained closed but government offices functioned normally.