Karnataka: Second bandh in a week tomorrow; normal life could be hit
This state-wide dawn-to-dusk shutdown on Friday has been called by ‘Kannada Okkuta’, an umbrella organisation for Kannada outfits, and also by farmers' outfits
The Karnataka bandh on Friday (September 29) called by pro-Kannada and farmers' organisations to protest the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu is likely to affect normal life, particularly in the northern parts of the state.
This bandh comes two days after the Bengaluru bandh, which was also held to highlight the Cauvery issue and had received a lukewarm response.
However, the state-wide dawn-to-dusk shutdown on Friday has been called by ‘Kannada Okkuta’, an umbrella organisation for Kannada outfits including factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Kannada Chalavali (Vatal Paksha) and various farmers’ bodies.
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 entire Karnataka and that they will try to shut highways, toll gates, rail services, and also airports.
Opposition parties, auto and Ola drivers support bandh
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.
Moral support
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.
North Karnataka
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 not been pursuing the matter properly.
(With inputs from agencies)
