VZCZCXRO0424
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI
DE RUEHCG #2284 2780836
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 050836Z OCT 06
FM AMCONSUL CHENNAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0065
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1996
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 4864
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 0609

UNCLAS CHENNAI 002284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR ETRD CASC ASEC IN
SUBJECT: BORDER DISPUTE SHUTS DOWN BANGALORE FOR A DAY 
 
REF: CHENNAI 724 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: A widespread "bandh" or total work stoppage closed 
most commercial and other activity in high-tech Bangalore and 
elsewhere in the state of Karnataka on October 4.  Kannada language 
organizations had called the stoppage over a long drawn-out border 
dispute with neighboring Maharashtra.  Although business was 
disrupted, the stoppage was largely peaceful. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) U.S. and other companies in Bangalore partially shutdown 
operations on October 4, 2006 due to a general work stoppage called 
by Kannada language organizations. Several companies encouraged 
workers who could do so to work from home.  Contacts at IBM's 
Bangalore office told us that 24/7 call-center and BPO operations 
largely remained unaffected as employees were bussed to work ahead 
of the official 6:00 a.m. start time of the strike. 
 
¶3. (U) The work stoppage, which received wide support from political 
parties, was called to protest perceived central government 
back-sliding on its commitment to support Karnataka in a 
long-simmering border dispute with Maharashtra concerning which 
state should have jurisdiction over the Belgaum area, now part of 
northeastern Karnataka.  Fear of antagonizing Karnataka's Kannada 
lobby led state Chief Minister Kumaraswamy to initially support the 
work stoppage. After criticism from the business community, however, 
the Chief Minister withdrew support on the ground that he had made 
the state's displeasure known to the Center.  The Kannada lobby 
refused to heed his call, and not withstanding the Chief Minister's 
"somersault," the state government ordered the withdrawal of public 
transport and the closure of schools and colleges, as well as its 
own offices. Consequently the stoppage was almost total.  There were 
few violent incidents, however.  About 100 Kannada activists were 
arrested following an attempt to disrupt train services. 
Inter-state road movements were disrupted as trucks carrying cargo 
clogged both sides of the Karnataka border. 
 
¶4. (U) On October 3 post issued a warden message to alert the 
American community to the work stoppage and expected lack of 
transportation and other services.  The Bangalore chapter of the 
Overseas Security Advisory Council networked with its membership and 
the Chennai RSO is to keep the U.S. business community informed.  We 
are unaware of any work stoppage-related incidents involving 
American citizens.  Travelers arriving in Bangalore via air or rail 
faced considerable distress in getting to their final destinations 
within the city, however, as local transport remained off the road. 
 
¶5. (U) This was the second time Bangalore shut down since April 
12-13, 2006 when disturbances broke out following the death of a 
Kannada movie icon (reftel). This time around the city police took 
no chances, deploying armed units at sensitive locations.  According 
to contacts at software development giant Infosys, the police 
provided security for company buses to bring employees into its 
business processing campus just before the work stoppage began. 
Katta Subramanya Naidu, Karnataka Industries Minister, 
optimistically told us that he expected the strike to have no dent 
on Bangalore's image as an investment destination. 
 
HOPPER