Bharat Bandh for oppn, hartal for CPM on Nov 28

KOCHI: The Bharat Bandh called by the opposition parties on November 28 against the demonetisation drive by the Centre will take the form of a statewide hartal in Kerala. The CPM has called for a statewide hartal on November 28 to protest against the Centre's move to target the cooperative banking sector.
The decision was taken by the state secretariat meeting of the CPM. The party has decided to exempt the banking sector, marriage functions, hospitals, milk and newspaper vendors from the dawn to dusk hartal. The hartal is also against the PMO's decision to deny permission for an all-party delegation from the state to meet the PM. The other parties in the ruling Left Democratic Front are expected to join the hartal. The LDF will launch a weeklong protest from November 24 to 30.

The UDF has decided to organise a picket march to the Raj Bhavan on Monday. UDF leaders made it clear that they were against the idea of organising a statewide hartal. KPCC president VM Sudheeran said the Congress will not support the move to call a hartal at a time when the people are facing many hardships due to the demonetisation drive. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the UDF also toyed with the idea of calling a hartal but finally decided against it taking into account the hardships faced by the people.


`PARITY FOR AC HOLDERS OF CO-OPS'
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow every account holder of primary and district co-operative banks the same currency withdrawal rights on par with account holders of commercial banks.