THANJAVUR/NAGAPATTINAM: Trade establishments across the Cauvery delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai downed shutters on Wednesday in response to a call for a bandh by the Joint Movement for Cauvery Basin Protection demanding Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu to save standing kuruvai crop and commence samba paddy cultivation.
In Thanjavur, shops including those in Gandhiji road, Medical College road, Pudukkottai road and Tiruchy road as well as Kamaraj market and Serfoji market remained closed. Only pharmacies and petrol stations remained open. Farmers and members of political parties took out a procession from Thanjavur old bus stand and picketed the LIC divisional office on Gandhiji road, raising slogans demanding the Karnataka Government to release Cauvery water. Slogans were also raised against BJP and Kannada outfits for protesting against releasing water to TN, and urged the CWMA to direct Karnataka to release water. N V Kannan, coordinator of the movement, led the protest.
In Kumbakonam, shops remained closed as farmers and activists, led by Suba Tamizhazhagan, city secretary of DMK, laid siege to head post office. Around 500 protesters were detained in a marriage hall.
In Tiruvarur, farmers and members of political parties took out a procession from the municipal office and passed through main thoroughfares before picketing the head post office and blocking the road near the old bus stand. P S Masilamani, General Secretary of Tamilnadu Farmers Association led the protest. Police arrested the protesters and later released them.
Shops in Nagapattinam town and Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district remained closed in solidarity with the protesting farmers. Members of BJP state unit is set to go on a hunger strike on October 16 in Kumbakonam condemning the DMK government for failing to get Cauvery water for Tamil Nadu districts.