Bengaluru Bandh: Pro-Kannada activists call strike successful, set three day deadline for govt

Two bandhs have been announced this week -- one in Bengaluru today and another statewide on Friday -- to protest against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, with opposition parties in Karnataka backing the call made by a farmers' organisation for the shutdown tomorrow. The announcement for the Karnataka bandh on September 29 was made on Monday, under the banner 'Kannada Okkuta' -- led by Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, days after 'Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti', an umbrella outfit of farmers’ associations and other organisations led by farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar gave the call for Tuesday's Bengaluru shutdown. The two bandhs reflect the divide among the farmers and pro-Kannada organisations, and has also now led to a confusion about who is supporting the bandh on which day, and whether services will be available tomorrow.

PTI

Bengaluru is expected to see a complete shutdown on Tuesday as farmer bodies, Kannada organisations and opposition parties have called for a 'Bandh' in the city to protest against the release of water from the Cauvery river in Karnataka to neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

Bengaluru Urban District Collector KA Dayanand has announced a public holiday for all schools and colleges in the city in view of the Bandh.

Bengaluru Police Commisioner B Dayananda said that Section 144 will be imposed in the city under which gatherings of more than five people will not be permitted.

Meanwhile, protests have been planned at Freedom Park, Raj Bhawan, TownHall by pro Kannada organisations. However, the Police Commissioner alerted that protests would only be allowed in Freedom Park.

ANI

Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader CT Ravi on Monday said that his party will support the Bengaluru Bandh, called Tuesday to protest against the release of Cauvery water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

"Today our state party chief and BS Yediyurappa declared support. We will support it and with it, we'll also protest in front of the Gandhi statue," CT Ravi told ANI.

Bengaluru is expected to see a complete shutdown on Tuesday as farmer bodies, Kannada organisations and opposition parties have called for a 'Bandh' in the city to protest against the order of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directing the state to release 5000 cusecs of water to its neighbouring state Tamil Nadu, for 15 days, effective from September 13.

Bengaluru Urban District Collector KA Dayanand has announced a public holiday for all schools and colleges in the city in view of the Bandh.

ANI

Apart from IndiGo, airlines such as Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and Vistara have also put out advisories in view of the bandh.

Travel time to Bengaluru airport may take longer than normal due to Bandh declared in Bengaluru. We recommend arriving at least 2.5 hrs before domestic and 3.5 hrs before international departures: IndiGo

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been locked in this water battle for decades. The recent flare-up has been the rejection of latter's petition by the Supreme Court against an order of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) asking Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from September 13. The Karnataka government said it was not in a position to release this much water due to the state's own needs for drinking water and irrigation.

The Congress-led state government has asked opposition parties, including the BJP, to not 'politicise' the Cauvery water dispute with neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

“In a democracy, we (the government) will not curtail protests, but the BJP and JD(S) are trying to do politics on the issue,” chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutes will remain closed on account of the bandh.

Offices, on the other hand, have asked employees to work from home.

Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus services will not be affected. Metro services too will be available as usual.

State govt-run buses, however, will not ply.

The Kannada Okkuta, led by activist Vatal Nagaraj, will lead Friday's bandh, and therefore, is not participating today.

Hotel Owners' Association and Ola Uber Drivers and Owners Association, each of whom previously announced their support, too, will not participate. The latter, however, will participate on Friday.

Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti', an umbrella outfit of farmers’ associations and other organisations led by farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar, has called for Tuesday's bandh.

Auto and taxi unions and the state's opposition BJP are among those to have extended support to the strike.

Ahead of Tuesday's daylong strike, the Bengaluru City Police Section 144 prohibiting the assembly of more than five people. The bandh will be held from 6am till 6pm.

BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Monday said his party would extend cooperation in ensuring that the Bengaluru bandh called by various organisations protesting against the release of Cauvery water is successful.

Protesting against the release of Cauvery water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, various organisations have called for two bandhs in the state, as the ruling Congress asserted to more "forcefully" present Karnataka's case in the Supreme Court and assured it will not curtail the planned agitations over the inter-state river dispute.

City police are taking all adequate security measures to ensure that no untoward incident takes place, officials said.

On Saturday, various farmer organisations met at Bengaluru’s freedom park and decided to call for a bandh on Tuesday.