Bengaluru News: Ex-PM Deve Gowda writes to PM Modi on Cauvery dispute

Bengaluru News: Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments from the Karnataka capital in traffic, transport, commute issues, weather and politics.

The normal life in Bengaluru will take a hit tomorrow as pro-Kannada organisations and farmer groups called for a strike, amid Cauvery water sharing dispute with Tamil Nadu. The opposition BJP and JDS alliance has already extended it's support to the bandh and public transport is also likely to be interrupted.

Ex PM Deve Gowda writes to PM Modi on Cauvery dispute.(PTI)

More than 175 organizations have declared their support for the Bengaluru bandh called by various farmers' and pro-Kannada organisations on September 26 to protest against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, said Kuruburu Shanthakumar, State President of State Sugarcane Growers Association.

State Sugarcane Growers Association is one of the main organisations that first called the bandh.

Meanwhile in Karnataka's Mandya, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and Cauvery Water Rakshana Horata Samiti spearheaded the agitation. The protests have been happening for the past few days and likely to be intensified on Monday. From the past two days ‘Mandya Bandh’ was observed.

Schools, colleges, bus transport, cabs and autorickshaw services are likely to take a hit on Tuesday and many offices are also planning to announce work from home for their employees. However, the metro services full functions as usual.

Follow all the updates here:

• Sep 25, 2023 04:06 PM IST

  Cauvery dispute: BJP stages protest in Mandya

  Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and workers staged protests on Monday in Karnataka's Mandya against the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Karnataka state government for the release of Cauvery Water to Tamil Nadu.

  Former Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Karnataka BJP vice president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra joined the protests at Mandya.

• Sep 25, 2023 03:44 PM IST

  We will not curtail protest: Karnataka CM on Bengaluru Bandh

  Responding to a question on protests and bandhs being called on the Cauvery issue, the CM said, "in a democracy, we (government) will not curtail protests, but BJP and JD(S) is trying to do politics on the issue." To a query on BJP and JD(S) asking the government to resign and go, he said, "...they are doing politics, what else will they say, they did not say it during the all party meeting."

• Sep 25, 2023 03:29 PM IST

  Appoint an external agency for Cauvery issue: HD Devegowda

  In his letter to the Prime Minister, HD Devegowda suggested PM Modi to appoint an external agency to conduct studies and moderate between the states.

  "The attitude of Tamil Nadu in pressing for additional releases far in excess of 40 TMC already released so far in not only unjust but also against all principles of equity and natural justice, considering the fact that providing drinking water is a fundamental right under the Constitution and it gets the highest priority in the National Water Policy,” Gowda wrote in the letter. Gowda's suggestion is: “To appoint an external agency, independent of the party states and the union government, which has expertise in the field of Integrated Reservoir Operation Studies, for conducting the studies of all the identified/designated reservoirs in Cauvery Basin, immediately".

• Sep 25, 2023 02:54 PM IST

  Karnataka CM welcomes Devegowda's request for PM Modi's intervention in Cauvery issue

  Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah welcomed former PM Devegowda's step where he wrote a letter to PM Modi, requesting him to intervene in the Cauvery issue.

  He said, “I welcome the letter written by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and resolve the plight faced by Karnataka regarding Cauvery water distribution. The only effective and appropriate solution to the current situation is for Modi to mediate and resolve the issue through dialogue to avoid the injustice that is happening to Karnataka.”

• Sep 25, 2023 02:49 PM IST

  Former PM Deve Gowda writes to PM Modi on Cauvery issue

  Former PM and JDS head Devegowda wrote an open letter to PM Narendra Modi and urged him to intervene in the Cauvery dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. He urged the PM to save people of Karnataka from ongoing water crisis due to severe draught levels.

• Sep 25, 2023 02:04 PM IST

  Cauvery issue: Tamil Nadu Farmers Protest with human skeletons

  The National South Indian River Interlinking Farmers Association under the leadership of Ayyakannu held a protest on Monday in Tamil Nadu's Trichy by holding parts of the human skeleton and demanded the sharing of Cauvery water.

  The protestors demanded the sharing of Cauvery water to save the standing ‘kuruvai’ crop cultivation in TN.

  The visuals from Trichy showed the protestors raising slogans demanding the release of water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu and saving farmers.

• Sep 25, 2023 01:38 PM IST

  Former PM Devegowda turns emotional on Cauvery issue, urges center to send a team to Karnataka

  Former Prime Minister and JDS leader Devegowda turned emotional during press conference on Tuesday. He requested the central government to send a team to Karnataka and study drought situation in the state.

  Speaking to the reporters, Devegowda said, “I request the Center to send a team to Karnataka and let them investigate the present water situation in the state...I'm alive not for politics or power. We are here to save the people of the state, my party exists for this.”

• Sep 25, 2023 01:31 PM IST

  Karnataka Congress list for LS polls likely to be out by Jan next year

  Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday claimed that following the BJP and JD(S) deciding to forge an alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, several leaders from both parties have contacted him expressing their displeasure and wanting to join the Congress party. The state Congress President also indicated that the Congress' list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls is likely to be finalised before January.

• Sep 25, 2023 01:00 PM IST

  Refrain from making any statements on multiple DCMs: Congress orders its leaders

  After various leaders have opened up about the idea of having multiple deputy CMs in Karnataka, Congress party general secretary KC Venugopal asked the leaders not to make any comments on it.

  In a circular released to the party members, KC Venugopal said, “The BJP and the opposition parties are trying to disturb the governence in Karnataka. In these times, kindly refrain from making any comments which are against the interests of Congress party. Such statements are uncalled foe.”

• Sep 25, 2023 12:46 PM IST

  Difficult but have to follow SC direction: DK Shivakumar

  Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar said that it would be difficult at this point to release water to Tamil Nadu as state is suffering from the deficit rainfall.

  He said, "It will be difficult to release Cauvery water in the current situation, but we have to follow the direction of the Supreme Court as well. We have to protect the interests of our state no matter what. This is our duty."

• Sep 25, 2023 12:28 PM IST

  Car set on fire for transporting beef to Bengaluru, police take 19 people into custody

  A car has been set on fire on Sunday after a few people found that it was transporting beef to Bengaluru. The incident took place at Dodballapura, which is roughly forty kilometers away from Bengaluru.

  Karnataka police took a total of 19 people into the custory and they are conducting an investigation. Most of them in the custody are said to be an activists of right wing group Sri Rama Sene

• Sep 25, 2023 11:53 AM IST

  Right-wing activist, six others sent to judicial custody till October 6

  Hindutva activist Chaitra Kundapur and six other accused in the alleged cash-for-ticket scam were sent to judicial custody till October 6 by an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court on Saturday, officials familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

  The development comes after the police custody of Kundapur and others, who were arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police in connection with the cheating case, ended on Saturday.

• Sep 25, 2023 11:29 AM IST

  Guarantee schemes will help Congress in LS poll: Karnataka Minister Madhu Bangarappa

  The implementation of the pre-poll guarantee schemes by the state government is the direct answer to opposition criticism against the Congress, Karnataka Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Madhu Bangarappa said on Sunday. Addressing reporters here, Bangarappa said the Congress government has implemented the guarantees within 120 days of coming to power in the state.

• Sep 25, 2023 11:05 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt seeking Centre's support to settle Cauvery dispute: DMK's Tiruchi Siva

  DMK Rajya Sabha member Tiruchi Siva on Sunday said that the Tamil Nadu government is seeking the Central government's support to settle the ongoing Cauvery dispute with Karnataka amicably.

  "As per the Supreme Court order and as per the (Cauvery) tribunal award Tamil Nadu government is trying all its efforts through legal process and in all possible manners seeking the support of the Union government and its Jal Shakti Minister as well as coordinating through all the possible sources to settle this issue amicably. We want only water for the farmers in Tamil Nadu not any dispute with any other state," Siva told ANI.

• Sep 25, 2023 10:49 AM IST

  KSRTC and BMTC bus services likely to be interrupted tomorrow

  The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Staff and Workers Federation extended its support for ‘Bengaluru Bandh’ and both KSRTC and BMTC services are likely to be affected. The cab associations and autorickshaw unions also said that would keep their vehicles off the road on Tuesday.

  Only Metro services will run on September 26

• Sep 25, 2023 10:20 AM IST

  Private cab associations announce support to Bengaluru Bandh

  Ola, Uber Drivers and Owners Association President Tanveer Pasha announced support for the bandh and decided to stay off the roads on Tuesday. “There will be no compromise when it comes to land, language, and water. Without any second thoughts, we support the bandh,” Pasha said, supporting the bandh.

• Sep 25, 2023 10:12 AM IST

  Bandh might spoil the beauty of Bengaluru: DK Shivakumar

  Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar said that they are trying to resolve the Cauvery water issue and said that bandh might spoil the beauty of Bengaluru.

  When asked about the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's statement that the strike will spoil the "beauty" of Bengaluru farmer leader Shantanukumar said: "In the past, they(Congress) too protested (on Cauvery issue) but theirs was a protest motivated by politics. Cauvery water has already flowed into Tamil Nadu causing injustice to the people of Karnataka."