Bengaluru: The bandh protest held in Karnataka yesterday, condemning Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery river water-sharing issue and the Mekedatu matter, did not receive public support.
On behalf of the Kannada Federation, which condemned Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery river water-sharing issue and urged the construction of the Mekedatu dam, federation leader Vatal Nagaraj had called for a bandh in Karnataka yesterday. Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar urged that no bandh protest should be held.
In response to the Chief Minister’s appeal, the Karnataka Private Schools and Colleges Association, private bus and taxi drivers’ associations, restaurant owners’ association, and auto drivers’ association, among others, withdrew their support. As a result, schools and colleges, shops, restaurants, government and private buses, theatres, autos, and rental cars operated as usual across the state yesterday.
Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, Kannada organizations and farmers’ associations staged protests at Freedom Park, Town Hall, Athipalli on the Tamil Nadu border, Mysuru, and Mandya. The police arrested them and released them in the evening.
Yesterday in Bengaluru, Kannada federation leader Vatal Nagaraj was arrested at his home by the police before he could leave for the protest. Objecting to this, Vatal Nagaraj argued with the police. As a result, he was carried away bodily and put into a vehicle.
The police arrested members of Kannada organizations who tried to stop government buses at the Tamil Nadu border. This caused traffic congestion there for a short while. Since the bandh protest did not receive support, Tamil Nadu government buses were operated as usual to places including Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Kolar Gold Fields.
Yesterday, more than 10 Kannada organizations and farmers’ associations met and spoke with Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. At that time, they said they were withdrawing the support they had given to the complete shutdown protest.
Release of 10,000 cubic feet of water
At the Cauvery Management Authority meeting held last Tuesday, it was ordered that the Karnataka government release 12,000 cubic feet of water per second to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days. The Karnataka government rejected this and said it would appeal in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has released 10,000 cubic feet of water to Tamil Nadu.
