He said: “During the the all-party meeting, Mohan Kataraki (senior counsel) had very clearly, in the presence of the Chief Minister and other Congress leaders, said it was not possible for the Prime Minister or the central government to intervene as the issue is before the Supreme Court”. “No one should indulge in such activities”.
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On Friday, schools and shops remained shut across the state. “We have arrested about 100 pro-Kannada activists, including their leaders, in the city centre and stopped them from going to the main railway station for “rail roko” (blockade)”, said Bengaluru Additional Commissioner of Police K.S.R. Charan Reddy.
Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi and Thol. The Tamil Nadu film association has announced, “No Shoots; No Sound Recordings; No Editing; No Dubbing tomorrow”.
“The Bandh has been called by farmers” associations and trade organisations and has completely derailed life in the state, as vehicles go off-road and schools and colleges, as well as 22 Lakh shops shut down. About 20,000 small and medium scale units in and around Chennai and over 30,000 garment factories in the textile hub of Tirupur also extended support to the bandh and downed shutters, according to reports.
While MDMK chief Vaiko was arrested in Trichy as he led a protest demonstration with the delta farmers, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thirumavalavan was detained in Chennai as he tried to organise a rally.
Meanwhile, a youth who had set himself afire over the Cauvery issue yesterday, succumbed to injuries.
In the light of provocative messages on social media being blamed for instigating some of the recent violence over the Cauvery river water sharing issue in Karnataka, police in Bengaluru have warned of stringent action against people spreading provocative messages, pictures and video clips on social media.
More than 12,000 policemen have been deployed across Chennai to maintain order.
While state transport corporation-run buses besides trains are operating as usual, some autorickshaws, taxis and commercial freight operators stayed off the roads.
The recent Cauvery events have raised public awareness and Chennaiites were busy preparing themselves for bandh day, buying vegetables and groceries and filling up petrol in their vehicles.
Doctors in Karnataka smuggled a desperately ill patient across the state border to Tamil Nadu under cover of darkness to receive a liver transplant after police said violent protests over the Cauvery water dispute would make the journey by ambulance too unsafe.
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Barring a few incidents of stone-throwing and “rail roko” attempts, the bandh was overall peaceful.
