MYSURU: Mandya, known as the sugar bowl of Karnataka, witnessed high voltage protests with thousands pouring onto the streets, extending their support to Mandya bandh. They were protesting against the Supreme Court verdict directing Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.
The verdict on Monday came as a rude shock on Ganesha Chaturthi, which saw protests across the Cauvery basin. The protests continued the second day in Mysuru and Mandya. People expressed their anguish as the state has registered 33 per cent deficit rains this year, resulting in insufficient drinking water for Bengaluru and Mysuru.
In order to build up pressure on the citizens of Mysuru to join the protest, the agitating farmers stopped water supply to Belagola and Melapura.
There was zero traffic on Bengaluru-Mysuru highway as farmers blocked the road with bullock carts, and set fire to logs and tyres. Roads were blocked in Srirangapatna too with farmers setting fire to wooden logs and cooking food on the roads. Farmers also vandalised government offices in Mandya, lawyers boycotted courts in Mandya and Mysuru.
Mandya observed a total bandh with schools, colleges, commercial establishments, banks and government offices closed.
Mandya district administration has declared a three-day holiday for schools and colleges.
Thousands gathered at Mandya’s Sanjay Circle and disfigured cutouts of Mandya MLA Ambareesh, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and former MP Ramya, saying they were silent on the issue.
They also removed posters of Jaguar, a Kannada film starring former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Gowda. Some of the posters were smeared with cow dung.
Attempt to enter KRS
KRRS and BJP activists were held by Rapid Action Force personnel for trying to enter the Krishna Raja Sagar reservoir. At least 2,400 policemen were pressed into service in Mandya, including 1,000 men at KRS. Police personnel have blocked all the roads leading to KRS as the Irrigation Department prepares to open the sluice gates to release water in the next 10 days. Meanwhile, the Police Department has clamped prohibitory orders at Kabini reservoir in the wake of farmers planning to lay siege of the reservoir.
Trucks attacked
Protesters entered into a duel with the policemen and even vandalised trucks on the Mandya-Mysuru road. The situation was, however, brought under control with additional police force.
Rush at railway station
In the wake of withdrawal of bus services from Mysuru to Bengaluru, thousands made a beeline for Bengaluru-bound trains at the Mysuru railway station. Inter-state bus services from Mysuru to parts of Tamil Nadu have been withdrawn. Police also stopped Karnataka vehicles from entering Tamil Nadu.
We have boycotted this meeting. We tried to tell the CM that there are two options. One is to approach the Supreme Court with a review petition. Second is to appeal to the Tribunal and explain why we cannot release water. The CM has not agreed
Y S V Datta, JD(S) leader
HDK too busy for meeting
JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy and supremo H D Deve Gowda were absent from the all-party meeting on Tuesday. Kumaraswamy did not participate as he is busy with the production of his film Jaguar. Only Y S V Datta and Puttaraju represented JD(S). Though they left minutes before the meeting was over, they claimed to have boycotted it.
Protesters stopped from entering rly stn
A group of 25 Karnataka Rakshana Vedike activists tried to storm the Mandya railway station around 9.30am on Tuesday. Train services were, however, undisturbed, thanks to the Railway Protection Force. The police personnel told the activists their action would be videotaped and an FIR would be filed against them.