Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 1: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said that the dawn-to-dusk shutdown called to protest against the formation of the Salem Railway Division by bifurcating the Palakkad Division, reflects the feelings of the people in Kerala.

BJP State General Secretary M T Ramesh said: "According to the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), the shutdown reflects the feelings of the people of Kerala."

Lambasting the Congress-led-UPA Government at the Centre, Ramesh said: "During the last 15-20 years, the people of Kerala have suffered a lot. Every Central Government (when Congress is in power) neglects Kerala."

"This time when they (Congress) decided to inaugurate a Salem Division on November 1 (Kerala-state formation day), we felt that it was an insult to all Malayalees. Therefore we decided to call the shutdown today," he added.

BJP State President P K Krishnadas had said that the Centre and State Governments had ridiculed Keralites by deciding to give a 79-km broad gauge line to the State, instead of the 623-km broad gauge line given to Tamil Nadu for forming the Salem division.

The urban areas have been seriously affected by the shutdown.

Shops remained closed and no classes were held in educational institutions. In most towns, buses and trucks remained off the roads. However, private vehicles were plying.

The shutdown was called for November 1, the day when a 623-kilometer broad gauge line was inaugurated in the Salem Railway Division of Tamil Nadu by bifurcating the Palakkad Railway Division in Kerala.

Earlier, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan had requested the BJP to call off their shutdown. However, the party state-unit maintained their stand as it was coinciding with the state-formation day and the visit of President Pratibha Patil.

Meanwhile, tight security arrangements were made in Thiruvananthapuram as President Patil inaugurated the scholarship programme for the higher secondary students. She also released the logo of the Kerala State Total Physical Fitness programme for youth and students.

However, the BJP said the shutdown had no relation with the President's visit, as it was planned a month ago.

On Friday, the President will deliver the 17th Convocation Address at the Mother Teresa Women's University in Chennai.

She will return to Delhi the same evening. (ANI)