Some multinationals are reporting unrest in cities like Bangalore and disruption to traffic and transport services.
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
**Actor’s death sparks violence in India’s tech city **
An icon of south Indian cinema and star of more than 200 films, Rajkumar, died on Wednesday, sparking widespread violence as distraught fans torched buses and ripped hoardings in the country’s hi-tech hub. Raj Kumar, one of India’s most famous actors, dies at 77. The revered actor, who gained nationwide fame in 2000 when he was kidnapped by notorious forest bandit Veerappan, died at his home in Bangalore in the southern state of Karnataka after a heart attack, his doctor said. He was 77. His death effectively closed down much of the city, witnesses said, with major businesses – including cinema halls – downing shutters out of respect but also in fear of violent mobs that swept through the city as news of the actor’s passing spread. **A Microsoft research institute in the city centre was stoned, the company said, and many of India’s leading technology companies concerned over safety sent workers home early. **
Television reports showed huge crowds laying seige to an ambulance bearing the actor’s body and trying to climb in through the vehicle’s smashed windows.
A Reuters photographer saw a police car overturned and other vehicles set on fire. ‘He was a cult figure,’ said fellow actor Anant Nag. ‘Everybody is at a loss.’ Actors in the southern Indian film industry are often revered with as much intensity as the gods they regularly portray on screen. Many people include icons of their favourite star in their household shrine, alongside portrayals of the more usual Hindu pantheon. Rajkumar, sometimes called the John Wayne of the regional Kannada-language film industry, was kidnapped in 2000 along with four members of his family in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. The kidnap sparked violent protests as fans demanded his release, and police feared a backlash against the state’s Tamil minority in Karnataka. He spent 108 days in the jungle bordering the two states before police negotiated his release. Veerappan was shot dead in 2004.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20060412-0720-india-actor.html
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Yep, RajKumar (Not bollywood RajKumar) was one of the most revered actor of Kannada film Industry, he belongs to genere of NTR in A.P, and MGR in TN. Things will be bit tense for a day or two after his death.
If anybody has any questions on this I can try to answer since I am from Bangalore.
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Rahul can you explain why his natural death has led to unrest? Is this how you pay respect to the popular figures in South India? This is hardly the way to honor his memories.
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
This is height of bewakoofi- ppl are torching buses and tangas when someone dies a naturaul death.. How kam-aqal and jaahil folks are there in S. India.
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Yes, I agree that this isn't the way to pay homage to death... its not right... There have been instances of people voting for filmstars, we all know about Reagon and now Arnold S in US. South India has always been crazy about its stars, TN - MGR ruled state as CM for 15+ years, even JayaLalitha today was a filmstar earlier. Andhra was ruled by NTR, who was a filmstar. Rajkumar in Karnataka had similar following though he kept himself away from direct politics. Now reason for viloence
1. Plain Stupidity of some fans of Rajkumar as well Goonda's looking for first excuse for creating trouble.
2. Political parties trying to cash in on popularity by trying to show who is more affected and was closer to Rajkumar.
3. Its is natural death, but its highly emotional issues for some, since Rajkumar had enacted many a religious roles in his films, so they start identifying with it (Stupidity again),
4. In political vaccum and dearth of good leaders, people start looking for leader within these stars and make the onscreen personal leader they follow, hence its a loss.
I have tried giving some reasons, though violence in any form for any reason is plain stupidity and condemnable and same is the case here..
As for violence, frankly its been very controlled, when I heard the news I was scared since Rajkumar is big icon in Karnataka, he was the most infulential man in Karnataka from number 1 to 10.
If you look at number of people thronging to stadium where his body is kept for darshan, its amazing, whole stadium is full...
By the way
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Western companies are finding this kind of civil unrest over an actor dying quite disturbing, and highly disruptive for their operations.
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
One person has died in the Indian city of Bangalore after police opened fire on a violent mob mourning the death of actor Rajkumar -](BBC NEWS | South Asia | Violence over Indian star's death)BBC News
mobs torched and stoned vehicles and businesses, including a Microsoft research institute - REUTERS](http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-04-13T152903Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-244690-1.xml)
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Yes - What’s happening isn’t good… Still you made some really strong statements… 
just to make a point…
“Civil Unrest”
Sirjee, there are some people on the road protesting, we aren’t having bomb blasts and lawlessness… 
Western companies finding it “quite Disturbing”…
This happens atleast once or twice a year every year, just causes could be different. This is part and parcel of democratic system. Now please don’t hijack this thread.
None of the operations are disrupted at all… :-)… Don’t make statement without understanding this industry. The operations work normally double or triple redundancy with back up offices in Delhi/ Pune/ Chennai/ Calcutta or Singapore. Followinga re the measures taken..
- Staff does come to office under police escort and deisgnated taxis within Bangalore.
- Almost everybody can work from home, I am working from home at this point. You can login into company server and code, or support.
- Anyway many a companies have people workign from home.
- All the phones allow conference call, so can just connect with anybody and work on business requirements.
- Staff in other cities take extra precaution during these days
e.g. GE has offices in four cities backing eachother …
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Silly, Since today RajKumar will be put to pyre, hence today will be tougher day for law and order forces. You will get many more articles to post ... Just wait for another 2-3 hrs.... :-)
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
**Actor’s death sparks disruptions in Bangalore; IT hit **
The death of popular local film actor Rajkumar today threw India’s IT hub Bangalore into disarray as fans went on a rampage, demanding that shops and other establishments close as a mark of mourning for the 78-year-old star. The facility of Microsoft Research Lab India Pvt. was stoned by fans of the actor, according to a lab spokeswoman. Expecting more unrest, a number of IT companies have declared Thursday, when the actor’s funeral is scheduled, a day off for their staffs. “We will be shut down tomorrow, because we are worried there may be trouble,” said a spokeswoman for software outsourcer Infosys Technologies Ltd. The company, which on Friday is scheduled to announce the results for its fiscal year ended March 31, will proceed with that announcement, she added. Another outsourcer, iGate Global Solutions Ltd., has also called for a day off Thursday after incidents of arson in the vicinity. “This will not impact our work, since staff will make up by working an extra day next week,” said a spokesman for the company. “Most of our staff will also work remotely from home on Thursday on any time-critical work.” Some operations, including the Indian subsidiary of Dell Inc., did not report any problems. “It is work as usual for us,” said a company spokesman. The local state government has declared a two-day period of mourning for Rajkumar. The actor was influential in state politics by his ability to rally thousands of often unruly supporters.
http://www.computerworld.com/managementtopics/outsourcing/story/0,10801,110442,00.html
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Thanks for an article supporting what I said earlier,
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
**The death of popular local film actor Rajkumar today threw India's IT hub Bangalore into disarray as fans went on a rampage, demanding that shops and other establishments close as a mark of mourning for the 78-year-old star. The facility of Microsoft Research Lab India Pvt. was stoned by fans of the actor, according to a lab spokeswoman. Expecting more unrest, a number of IT companies have declared Thursday, when the actor's funeral is scheduled, a day off for their staffs. "We will be shut down tomorrow, because we are worried there may be trouble," said a spokeswoman for software outsourcer Infosys Technologies Ltd. The company, which on Friday is scheduled to announce the results for its fiscal year ended March 31, will proceed with that announcement, she added. Another outsourcer, iGate Global Solutions Ltd., has also called for a day off Thursday after incidents of arson in the vicinity. **
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Yes, there is one day off - TODAY, tomorrow was a declared annual holiday due to Kannad New Year anyway.. that brings weekend.
People have declared holiday since there is trouble in the city...
You still doesn't support following assertions made by you...
1. Civil Unrest... (This is so funny that you call it Civil Unrest)
2. Western Companies are finding it quite disturbing..... :D (they are taking precuations for staff to be safe for one day)
3. Operations are distrupted - already explained closing office for a day doesn't mean distrupting operations..
I had volunteered to give information and I have already..
If this thread turns into talking to a wall, with objective of thread being just to like a Nazi court to malign India and Bangalore, I keep the right to step aside and you can keep making your music louder and lounder..
Please be assured that people here loud music of a musician, not from just anybody banging on the drums..........
So take care..... and be a musician........ :D
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Yes there is trouble who is denying that......... Silly....
when you have 2-3 lakh people coming there would be trouble.....
I think 2 people have died as well.......
You still haven't cleared your points......... :-)
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Silly lilly.. u never told us whats ur thought about Rajkumar.
And the "civil unrest". What do u think is going to happen soon in Karnataka, since u seem to know a lot about Karnataka than rest of us.:)
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
The unrest is limited only to Bangalore. Rest of Karnataka is fine. There are couple of reasons for this unrest. Kannadigas are in minority in Bangalore, moreso now with the IT boom. Bangalore is the only city in India where one can speak in English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi , Urdu or Malayalam and feel at home.
Rajkumar represented Kannada pride. Actually Kannada speakers are not movie fanatics like their Tamil and Telugu neighbors.
But like the Shivsena in Maharashtra who represent a very tiny section of Marathi fanatics, there is a rise of Kannada fanatics who give Karnataka a bad name (like Shiv Sena). I found most Marathi and Kannada speakers very open and friendly.
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
*The body of an unidentified person who died during violence after the death of actor Raj Kumar, lies on the road, in Bangalore, India, Thursday, April 13, 2006. *
Re: Unrest in South India as film legend dies
Just spoke to my indian friends at Intel, IBM, Magma and Texas Instruments, and a white american friend at yahoo in Bangalore. Work goes on as usual following minor loss of hours yesterday evening.
and like Silly Billy aunty is implying, the rioting seems to be ISI's handiwork. ;)