Bengaluru: 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, September 29, 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.
Only protest allowed, no bandh: says minister
Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Thursday said only protest is allowed on September 29. Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara stated, “I am warning the organisations which have given a call for bandh. The bandh can’t be observed as directed by the court. Legal action will be initiated against those who defy it,” he added.
Only protest can be observed. The bandh will not be allowed. The police need not be given special instructions, they know what to do, he added.
Due to the Bengaluru bandh observed on September 26, there is an approximate loss of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 crore.
Amid this, if bandh is observed for one more time it will further make the situation critical in terms of economy. The organisations should know this. It is everyone’s right to stage a protest, let them carry out protests. But, if bandh is tried to be imposed, legal action will be initiated, Parameshwara warned.
Meanwhile, DGP and IG of Karnataka Alok Mohan warned that there should be no imposition of a forceful bandh on Friday.
The directions have been given to take action if the public are troubled. All SPs and DCPs are given directions. If protestors try to shut down shops, action will be taken, he explained.
(With inputs from agencies)
