Karnataka Bandh Updates: TN to appeal SC for 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water

Pro-Kannada organisations stage protest by standing in Cauvery water near Mandya. (ANI)

BJP Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya on Thursday said he waited for 48 hours to meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin in Chennai to apprise him about the looming drinking water crisis in Bengaluru but the meeting did not take place. (PTI)

Visuals from BMTC and KSRTC bus terminal. (ANI)

Two days after Bengaluru witnessed a partial shutdown over the Cauvery river water dispute with Tamil Nadu, a state-wide bandh has been called in Karnataka on Friday. The bandh, called by the 'Kannada Okkuta' - a blanket organisation of pro-Kannada groups - will be in effect for 12 hours starting from 6 am to 6 pm. Read more

As pro-Kannada and farmers' organisations have called for a 'Karnataka Bandh' on Friday to protest the release of Cauvery water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda on Thursday said that the Freedom Park is the sanctioned location for protests and rallies in the city, ANI reported.

He warned that if any damage to the property occurs, the respective protesting organization will be held accountable for the costs.

"The sole sanctioned location for protests and rallies is Freedom Park. However, any organisation can lend their support on their own and not by force. If any damage to the property occurs, the respective protesting organization will be held accountable for the costs," Dayananda said.

Meanwhile, in view of the bandh, the district administrations in Bengaluru and Mandya announced a holiday for educational institutions on Friday in their respective jurisdiction.

The Bengaluru police did not give permission to any kind of bandh in the city and also section 144 is likely to be imposed across the tech capital. Read more

In view of the bandh, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) have been imposed in the Mandya district, where schools and colleges will remain closed tomorrow, said District Collector Kumar.

Karnataka has been witnessing protests over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu after the Supreme Court refused to intervene in the decisions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority(CWMA) and its assisting body Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) that directed the state to do so.

In the latest decision, the CWRC had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023. In the earlier spell, it was 5,000 cusecs.

Amid a row over Cauvery River water sharing raging between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene on Thursday interrupted a press conference being held by actor Siddharth for his film and demanded him to leave the venue.

The actor was promoting his upcoming film 'Chikku' in Bengaluru when the members of Karnataka Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene disrupted the event, saying that it was not an appropriate time for him to do that as Tamil Nadu is demanding Cauvery River water from Karnataka.

Soon after the interruption the actor left the venue.

Karnataka bandh LIVE: The direction of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to Karnataka to release water at the rate of 3,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) to Tamil Nadu from Thursday to October 15 will be challenged before the Supreme Court, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday. Siddaramaiah said he has spoken to the State's legal team which opined that it should be challenged in the apex court. "We are challenging the order of the Regulation Committee before the Supreme Court. We don't have water to give," the CM told reporters at Male Mahadeshwara Hills in this district.

Normal life is likely to be affected, especially in the southern part of the state, with pro-Kannada and farmers’ organisations calling for ‘Karnataka Bandh’ on Friday to protest the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

‘Kannada Okkuta’, an umbrella organisation for Kannada outfits including factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Kannada Chalavali (Vatal Paksha) and various farmers’ bodies have given a call for the statewide dawn-to-dusk shutdown.

There will be a massive protest procession from Town Hall to Freedom Park in the city, in which people from all walks of life are likely to participate, the organisers said.

They have said that the bandh is for the entire Karnataka and that they will try to shut highways, toll gates, rail services, and also airports.

The opposition BJP and JD(S) too have extended their support to the bandh, as also hotels, autorickshaws and hail riders associations in Karnataka.

"Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union and Ola Uber Drivers and Owners’ Association (OUDOA) are supporting the bandh. We will take out a rally from Nayandahalli to the Freedom Park tomorrow," its president Tanveer Pasha told PTI.

An office bearer of the Karnataka State Private Schools’ Association told PTI that they were extending ‘moral support’ to the bandh.

"We have told our association members to use their discretion regarding the bandh. We have communicated to our students that there are chances of schools remaining shut," the office-bearer said.

The Bruhath Bangaluru Hotel Association has extended its 'moral support' to the strike. However, they were holding a meeting to take a final decision on whether to keep the restaurants and eateries shut for the whole day on Friday.

Meanwhile, the State Transport Department has issued directions to the state transport corporations to continue their services as usual.

Farmers and traders in the northern part of Karnataka such as Ballari, Kalaburagi, Bidar, Bagalkote, Vijayapura, Yadgir, Hubballi-Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal and Davangere have extended their ‘moral support’ to the bandh but said they will not shut down their businesses.

Meanwhile, a few activists on Thursday staged protests in the Cauvery heartland of Mandya against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. They have been staging agitation for the past 15 days.

They alleged that the state government had been lenient towards Tamil Nadu and had not been pursuing the matter properly.

The southern state of Karnataka is set to witness a day long state-wide bandh on Friday in protest against the release of Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu. The bandh, called by the 'Kannada Okkuta' - a blanket organisation of pro-Kannada groups - comes after a Bengaluru bandh held on Tuesday, which evoked a partial response.

Karnataka Bandh LIVE updates: As pro-Kannada and farmers' organisations have called for a 'Karnataka Bandh' on Friday to protest the release of Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the administration in Bengaluru has declared a holiday in all educational institutions in the city for the day.

"As Karnataka bandh has been declared by various organizations, a holiday has been declared for all schools and colleges in Bengaluru city in the interest of students," said KA Dayananda, Bengaluru City District Deputy Commissioner.

Kannada star Shiv Rajkumar said that both Karnataka governement and Tamil Nadu governement must reslove the cauvery issue for the benifit of farmers. He is also reportedly planning to participate at a protest in Bengaluru tomorrow.

He said, “A farmer is the backbone of the country, so the backbone of the farmer is our Kaveri. Farmers are already in trouble due to lack of proper rain in the state. I request the leaders of the two states and the court should examine all aspects and find a peaceful solution.”

State wide bandh will be observed tomorrow as protests are planned across Karnataka against the state government releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Here is a fully story on what's open and what's closed in Karnataka

Akasa Air has alerted passengers about tomorrow's bandh. The airlines advised passengers to reach Bengaluru airport atleast three hours before time.

An announcement by Akasa Air read, “Due to the Bandh declared in Karnataka on 29 Sep 2023, there may be an impact on public transport facilities for travel to and from Bengaluru airport. To ensure a seamless experience, we recommend that you plan for extra travel time and reach the airport at least 3 hours prior to the departure of your Akasa Air flight.”

Pro-Kannada activists have stopped Actor Siddarth's press conference in Bengaluru today. The actor is in Bengaluru for the special screening of his film Chikku and he was asked to stop the press meet by a group of protesters.

The protesters were seen saying this is not the right time for a Tamil actor to promote his movie in Karnataka when a state is suffering from water crisis. The actor walked out of the press meet.

BJP Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya on Thursday said he waited for 48 hours to meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin in Chennai to apprise him about the looming drinking water crisis in Bengaluru but the meeting did not take place.

“My interactions with senior DMK MPs and Tamil Nadu leaders were extremely positive and they were receptive to the suggestions I made and appeared positive that discussions between Karnataka and TN government would provide a solution," he said. The MP said he was hopeful that an amicable solution to the crisis can be found if the chief ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu meet and hold discussions.

All shopping malls and commercial establishments will be closed tomorrow in Bengaluru. The Bandh will be observed across the city and Bengaluru police are also likely to impose section 144, banning the gatherings that include more than five people. The national highways and airports are expected to face the heat of protests against releasing Cauvery water.

A group of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) activists on Thursday held a massive protest in Bengaluru against the state MPs and Siddaramaiah Government over the Cauvery River water issue.

The KRV activists shouted slogans of "Cauvery Is Ours" as they protested against the release of the river water to Tamil Nadu.

KRV Women's Wing President Ashwini Gowda said that this is the time for all Kannadigas to come together and demanded that the state-elected MPs should come up and speak up on the matter and stand for the people of Karnataka or resign from the post.

IndiGo airlines directed the passengers to reach airport atleast two hours before the actual time of the flight tomorrow.

Indigo said, “Travel time to #Bengaluru airport may take longer than normal due to Bandh declared in Karnataka on 29 Sep 2023. We recommend arriving at least 2.5 hrs before domestic & 3.5 hrs before international departures.”

Vistara airline alerted the passengers about Karnataka Bandh who boarding and deboarding from Bengaluru tomorrow

“Due to the 'Karnataka Bandh' on September 29, 2023, local transport might be disrupted. Customers travelling from Bengaluru are advised to allow more time for their journey to the airport. Thank you,” the airlines said in an announcement.

Bengaluru police warned protesters against forcing anyone into support the strike tomorrow. The protesters are asked to seek the support but warned against any violent activities.

on 29th September 2023, several organizations in Karnataka are uniting for a state-wide bandh to protest against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. The Bengaluru Commissioner of Police emphasises on Supreme Court's ruling that all forms of bandh are forbidden. The sole sanctioned location for protests and rallies is Freedom Park. However any organisation can lend their support on their own and not by force. If any damage to the property occurs, the respective protesting organization will be held accountable for the costs

Farmers and traders in the northern part of Karnataka such as Ballari, Kalaburagi, Bidar, Bagalkote, Vijayapura, Yadgir, Hubballi-Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal and Davangere have extended their ‘moral support’ to the bandh but said they will not shut down their businesses.

Ola, Uber and autorickshaws are set to stay off the roads on September 29 as the state wide bandh will be observed.

"Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union and Ola Uber Drivers and Owners’ Association (OUDOA) are supporting the bandh. We will take out a rally from Nayandahalli to the Freedom Park tomorrow," its president Tanveer Pasha told PTI.