The dawn to dusk bandh called by the Opposition parties in Puducherry to step up their demand for the removal of lieutenant Governor Iqbal Singh evoked a mixed response today.

Mr Iqbal Singh has been mired in a controversy over his recommendation for expeditious issue of passport to suspected money launderer Hasan Ali Khan.

Shops and establishments remained closed in a number of centres in the Union Territory. While private buses were off the roads, government buses plied as usual and government offices also reported normal attendance.

Police pickets were posted at all vantage and vulnerable points in and around Puducherry, where prohibitory orders have already been clamped in the wake of the bandh for two days since Tuesday.

The bandh has been called by AIADMK, CPI, CPI(M), BSP, RSP and some other parties demanding that the Centre recall Mr Singh.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Secretary of CPI’s local unit, Mr A. Ramamoorthy, said the Opposition’s memorandum demanding sacking of Mr Singh had been faxed to the President, Ms Pratibha Patil.

Mr Singh had left last night for Delhi via Chennai after being questioned for two days by an Enforcement Directorate team on the passport issue.

He is in the eye of a storm for his action as Congress Rajya Sabha member in 1997 in recommending expeditious issue of passport to Mr Khan, a Pune based stud farm owner.

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