Protests by Kannada groups against the Supreme Court order to Karnataka to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, had turned violent on September 12, with two persons getting killed in police action, in Bengaluru.
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“We are supporting a peaceful bandh, which is organized against the atrocities happened against Tamil Nadu people in Karnataka”, BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan told ANI on Thursday.
Shivakumar, who claims to be a social activist, has also sought a direction that the leaders of the protest be held accountable for the damage caused to the properties and be asked to pay up for them.
Most schools and colleges, however, declared a holiday for either Onam festival or as a precaution.
While state transport corporation-run buses besides trains are operating as usual, some autorickshaws, taxis and commercial freight operators stayed off the roads.
Opposition parties, including the DMK, joined the protests.
The state requires at least 27 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water to meet the drinking water needs after October 20 and the four reservoirs in the state would have 28 tmcft, while Tamil Nadu will have 42 tmcft in its reservoirs.
Most shops and restaurants are closed in Chennai, and there are very few private buses and autorickshaws on the roads.
A report from Madurai said the bandh did not affect normalcy in southern and central districts of the state though shops, theatres, hotels and private educational institutions remained shut. The dam would be opened for cultivation from September 20, expecting that water would be received from Karnataka reservoirs as per the Supreme Court orders as well as hoping that the rainfall during the ensuing northeast monsoon would be normal. He then squatted in front of the railway terminal along with hundreds of party workers after his attempt to stage a rail roko was foiled by police, who detained him along with his protesters.
Officials said no untoward incident was reported in the region.
“The Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Puducherry would only attend the meeting convened by the Prime Minister and not anyone else”.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered the release of Cauvery water from Mettur in view of the standing samba crops.
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In its September 5 order, the apex court had directed the state to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water for 10 days to ameliorate the plight of farmers of the neighbouring state.
