Thiruvananthapuram:
Normal life was today disrupted in Kerala due to the dawn-to-dusk 12-hour bandh called by CPI-M led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over the solar scam issue.
Except for a few private vehicles and two-wheelers, other modes of transport were off the road while shops and hotels remained closed.
Passengers, who arrived at railway stations and airports unaware of the strike, called last evening, were reportedly stranded due to non-availability of public transport.
Barring a few incidents of stone-pelting on private vehicles in some places, no violence was reported in connection with the shutdown so far, police said.
Security had been tightened all over the state in view of the bandh, which has been called by the Opposition LDF as it stepped up pressure on the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government.
The LDF has been on the agitation path for the past two weeks seeking to corner the government over the multi-crore solar panel scam which has brought the Chief Minister's Office under a cloud.
Mr Chandy, who firmly rejected the demand for his resignation, has dismissed the charges against him as "a political conspiracy".
The assembly was adjourned sine-die on Tuesday after the LDF continued to disrupt the proceedings over the scam.
LDF supporters, on Tuesday, clashed with police near the secretariat complex forcing the latter to fire teargas shells.
The solar scam pertains to alleged cheating of several persons to the tune of crores by Saritha Nair and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan by offering to get them solar panel solutions. The two have been arrested besides actress Shalu Menon.
They have been charged with luring investors on the promise of getting solar panel solutions by stating that they had high-level connections in the government.
The scam took a political turn with the arrest of one of Mr Chandy's close aides, who has alleged links with the accused. Two other employees in his personal staff have also been removed in connection with the scam.
Except for a few private vehicles and two-wheelers, other modes of transport were off the road while shops and hotels remained closed.
Passengers, who arrived at railway stations and airports unaware of the strike, called last evening, were reportedly stranded due to non-availability of public transport.
Barring a few incidents of stone-pelting on private vehicles in some places, no violence was reported in connection with the shutdown so far, police said.
Security had been tightened all over the state in view of the bandh, which has been called by the Opposition LDF as it stepped up pressure on the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government.
The LDF has been on the agitation path for the past two weeks seeking to corner the government over the multi-crore solar panel scam which has brought the Chief Minister's Office under a cloud.
Mr Chandy, who firmly rejected the demand for his resignation, has dismissed the charges against him as "a political conspiracy".
The assembly was adjourned sine-die on Tuesday after the LDF continued to disrupt the proceedings over the scam.
LDF supporters, on Tuesday, clashed with police near the secretariat complex forcing the latter to fire teargas shells.
The solar scam pertains to alleged cheating of several persons to the tune of crores by Saritha Nair and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan by offering to get them solar panel solutions. The two have been arrested besides actress Shalu Menon.
They have been charged with luring investors on the promise of getting solar panel solutions by stating that they had high-level connections in the government.
The scam took a political turn with the arrest of one of Mr Chandy's close aides, who has alleged links with the accused. Two other employees in his personal staff have also been removed in connection with the scam.
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