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

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah met the farmers who are protesting near Mandya nd discussed the issue of Cauvery water.

Siddaramaiah said, “On the way from Mysore to Chamarajanagar, she discussed the issue of Cauvery water with the protesting farmers group at Mandya and promised to protect the interest of the country.”

'Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti' leader Shanthakumar claimed the bandh was successful. The samiti set a 3-day deadline for the government to announce its decision, failing which it will intensify protests.

City police had taken all adequate security measures to respond to any violent situations that may happen during the protests.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said prohibitory orders under section 144 will be in place across the city from midnight on Monday to midnight on Tuesday.

Tamil Nadu is continuing to receive water from Karnataka and as of today, the state has received 7,000 cusecs of water, state Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said on Tuesday. Initially, Karnataka provided 2,500 cusecs of water per day and the quantum was increased to 3,000 cusecs per day.

Amid mounting pressure on the Karnataka government against releasing Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, the latter on Tuesday said the Supreme Court's verdict should be binding, notwithstanding such agitations.

Despite protests in Karnataka capital Bengaluru, the state government was releasing water to its neighbour, TN Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said.

On the protests in the neighbouring state, the Minister said the Supreme Court’s verdict should be binding.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) rejecting Tamil Nadu's request for 12,000 cusecs and recommending that Karnataka release 3,000 cusecs of water to the neighbouring state till October 15. The CWRC's recommendation came on the day of the Bengaluru bandh called by farmers and pro-Kannada organisations and backed by the BJP and JD(S), over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday claimed the Karnataka government released Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu after succumbing to the pressure from the ruling DMK and the INDIA bloc.

He alleged the Siddaramaiah government released the water as the Congress was aware that it could not survive without the MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to reporters here, Chandrasekhar said the BJP would not allow the political pressure to which the "Congress has succumbed" to affect the people of Karnataka and will put up a strong fight.

The Bangalore University has announced that the annual convocation event which was scheduled on Friday is postponed due to state wide bandh. Pro-Kannada organisations have called for a Karnataka bandh on Friday as a mark of protest against the Cauvery issue and BU said that a new date will be announced soon.

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has attacked Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for asking PM Modi to intervene into the Cauvery issue and solve it.

In an X post, Tejavsi Surya said, “CM Siddaramiah must stop politicking with an issue as serious as Kaveri. After failing to protect the interests of the State in almost 10 consecutive hearings before CWMA and suffering multiple adverse orders, CM is trying to change goalposts and play politics.”

Karnataka transport minister Ramalinga Reddy met protesters at Freedom Park and received a memorandum from them. "I have received the memorandum on behalf of the government. I will bring them to the notice of the chief minister," he said. The five-point memorandum includes demands that water is not released from Cauvery to Tamil Nadu, an election commission-like body be put together to assess things during distress years, Mekedatu project be implemented, and cases against farmers and pro-Kannada activists be withdrawn, he said.

Amid the protest across Bengaluru on Cauvery issue, a huge rally took place from Bengaluru's Mysuru bank circle. Karnataka Water Conservation Committee president Kurubur Shanthakumar was detained from Mysore Bank Circle and was released at Freedom Park.

Roughly 200 protesters were detained by the Bengaluru on Tuesday across the city.

The Joint Commissioner of Police asked Yeshwantpur police to inquire about the private hotel that supplied the food to the personnel. The hotel owner was also issued a notice regarding the issue.

"A case will be registered against the hotel owner. Luckily, the matter came to light beforehand while no one had eaten the dead rat food," said Anucheth.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.

Members of Cauvery Urimai Meetpu Kulu staged a 'rail roko' protest in Thanjavur by blocking Cholan Express train, condemning Karnataka government to release Tamil Nadu's share of water in Cauvery river. The protestors were later arrested by the police. (PTI)

In a shocking incident, a dead rat was found in the breakfast served to police assigned on security duty in Bengaluru amid bandh and protests called by farmers over the Cauvery water dispute in the state capital, said officials. (ANI)

Accusing opposition BJP and JD(S) of politicising the Cauvery row, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday rejected allegations that his government has failed on the issue, and said his administration has never lagged behind in protecting the interests of the state, its people and farmers. (PTI)

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah state government has never lagged behind in protecting the interests of the state, its people and farmers. He said, "For us, power is not important, the interests of the people is important. We believe strongly in it." Pointing out that so far there has been no distress formula on sharing Cauvery during drought years, the CM said, "We have been seeking a distress formula. We have been pressuring the Supreme Court on this and before the tribunal also.

Cauvery Water Regulation Committee at New Delhi on Tuesday recommended Karnataka to release 3000 cusecs of water everyday at Biligundlu starting from 8am on September 28 to October 15.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday flayed the Congress government in the state for alleged detention of farmers and Kannada activists participating in the 'bandh' here to protest the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

The protesters and farmers should be released immediately, he said, adding Cauvery water flow to Tamil Nadu should be stopped.

The Tamil Nadu farmers on Tuesday conducted a mock funeral of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, as a mark of protest against the Karnataka governement. A similar mock funeral for Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin was conducted by pro-Kannada activists in Karanataka's Ramanagara.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said there are no objections for the protest in democracy and said that they must be conducted in a peaceful manner.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said that the opposition should refrain from gaining political mileage through the Cauvery water dispute.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Siddaramaiah said, “We have no objections to any kind of protests or bandh. But there are few people and parties who are making the Cauvery issue political. We all must work for the people of Karnataka and not for self-political gains. There is a Supreme Court verdict against bandh, but we do not want to curtail it.” Read full story

Bengaluru Police have detained more than 200 protesters on Tuesday while they are marching towards Raj Bhavan from the Vidhana Soudha. Various pro-Kannada organistion members including leaders like Vatal Nagraj, Praveen Shetty and others were taken into the custody. Daylong protests against Cauvery water dispute are also planned at Freedom Park, Town hall and other regions.

Farmers in Bengaluru staged half-naked protest on Tuesday amid the ongoing Cauvery water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. (ANI)

Bengaluru police detained protesters during the bandh called by various organisations over the release of the Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. (PTI)

"My party has already extended support for a peaceful 'bandh'," said JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda on 'Bengaluru bandh' today called by various organisations protesting against the release of the Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. (PTI)

On 'Bengaluru bandh', Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, "Any bandh can be called, we have no objection to that. Though there is SC verdict, but we won't disturb them, let them call the bandh." He was speaking to reporters in Mysuru. (ANI)

Visuals of 'Bengaluru bandh' called by various organisations protesting against the release of the Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. (PTI)