Bengaluru Bandh on September 26: Farmer groups call for a strike amid Cauvery water sharing dispute

The organizations are also planning to conduct a Karnataka bandh on the same day and a decision regarding it will be taken later.

Amid the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, pro Kannada organizations and farmer associations have called for a Bengaluru bandh on September 26. The organizations are also planning to conduct a Karnataka bandh on the same day and a decision regarding it will be taken in a meeting which is scheduled on Monday.

Bengaluru Bandh on Sep 26: Farmer groups call for a strike amid Cauvery dispute(ANI)

On Saturday, various farmer organisations met at Bengaluru’s freedom park and decided to call for a bandh on Tuesday. They also requested the schools, colleges and other commercial establishments in the city to support the bandh and keep them shut on September 26. However, the state government is yet to respond to the bandh called by the farmer associations.

Meanwhile the BJP which is in the opposition announced support to the bandh. Speaking to the reporters, former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa said, “The Cauvery issue is very particular, and it is going to harm the interest of Karnataka people. They are releasing the water even without the Supreme Court decision we are agitating throughout the state, particularly in Mandya. We also observed strike today in Mandya. We are also planning to start agitation throughout the state, particularly in Bengaluru. There is no drinking water for Mysuru and Bengaluru and it is going to cause a crisi like situation in the state.``

However, the Bengaluru bandh will exclude all emergency services like ambulances, hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies and they will run as usual. The police are also preparing to deploy extra force across the city to avoid any law-and-order issues during the protest.

Earlier on Friday, amid the Cauvery water-sharing row with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the government will safeguard the interests of the farmers of the state.

Shivakumar also said that during the meeting held in the national capital on Friday, the Cabinet meeting decided to follow the court order regarding the Cauvery water distribution.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai, PS Narasimha and Prashant Kumar Mishra while refusing to interfere in the Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu said both CWMA and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) are regularly meeting and monitoring the water requirements every 15 days.

(With inputs from agencies)