India, March 22 -- Several pro-Kannada groups have called a shutdown in Karnataka on Saturday, March 22, for a period of 12 hours from 6 am to 6 pm, protesting the alleged assault on a bus conductor in Belagavi.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) conductor was allegedly attacked for not speaking Marathi, fanning the flames of an existing despite over linguistic communities in the region.

Karnataka's deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday announced that the Siddaramaiah-led state government would not support the bandh.

He said, "We will make them (the organisations) understand that it is not the right course of action, as it will impact students whose exams have already begun."

Additional security forces a...