The Cauvery-related protests spilled over to the city on a large-scale on Friday, disrupting normal life even as the government braced itself for Saturday’s ‘Karnataka bandh’ called by Kannada outfits to protest against the decision of the Cauvery River Authority directing Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
The stir, hitherto confined to Mandya and other Cauvery basin districts, spread to the country’s IT capital with Kannada protagonist organisations holding a spate of protests.
Shops and business establishments in several areas downed shutters and rallies were held in different parts of the city virtually choked vehicular movement.
Protests entered the sixth day in Cauvery basin areas, as a Central study team visited Krishna Raja Sagar and Kabini dams from where water is being released to Tamil Nadu, and some parts of the river basin for assessing the water situation.
Central Water Commission official Jacob, who is part of the delegation, told reporters in Mysore that the team would submit its findings to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by Sunday.
Governor H R Bhardwaj told reporters here that he fully stood by the Karnataka Government decision on Cauvery issue. The direction of the Supreme Court has to be honoured and the state with due diligence has obeyed it, he added.
Several pontiffs, including Balagangadharanath Swamiji, Adichunchanagari Mutt of the Vokkaliga community, who form a big chunk of the population in the Cauvery basin districts, jumped into the stir taking part in the protests in the city.
With several Kannada outfits calling for a statewide bandh on Saturday, security has been beefed up. As a precaution, managements of all schools and colleges have declared a holiday.
Pejawar Mutt head Visweshatheertha Swamiji demanded that all Ministers and MLAs resign in Karnataka and take a delegation to the Prime Minister.
Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa joined the protests by launching a two-day dharna here. He lashed at four Union Ministers from the state for “failing to protect the interests of the state” and demanded their resignation. (With inputs from PTI)
