Cauvery row: Pro-Kannada outfits announce Karnataka bandh on Aug 13, warn TN CM Vijay

In the wake of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA)'s directive asking Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu, pro-Kannada organisations on Friday (July 31) called for a state-wide bandh on August 13.

The bandh was announced after a meeting of various pro-Kannada outfits in Bengaluru, where leaders discussed the next phase of their agitation against the CWMA's order.

Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, under whose leadership the meeting was convened, said the bandh aimed to oppose the release of Cauvery water to the neighbouring state amid concerns over Karnataka's own water availability.

Bandh call

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Nagaraj, the president of the Kannada Chalavali Paksha, said that the Karnataka bandh will be observed from 6 am to 6 pm on August 13. He called upon people to cooperate and support this bandh.

"Let us all make Karnataka Bandh a grand success from Belagavi to Chamarajanagar," he said. More than 1,600 Kannada organisations and over 1,000 other organisations across Karnataka will support the bandh, he added. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce and many other associations too have also extended their support for the Karnataka Bandh on August 13 over the Cauvery water issue.

"Our final demand is only one: Cauvery water should not be released to Tamil Nadu at any cost," he said. Further, he warned that if Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay is visiting Bengaluru to meet Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to demand Cauvery water, they will "protest against his visit and block Bengaluru airport".

Also read: Cauvery row boils over: TN rushes to SC; Karnataka to hold all-party meet

He also slammed all the political parties that are using the Cauvery order for political mileage.

Trigger for bandh

The organisations opposed the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, arguing that Karnataka itself is facing a water shortage and that releasing water would adversely affect the state's farmers.

Also read: 'Don't fall into the trap': TN parties unite against Vijay's Karnataka visit

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) recommendation to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.