Mandya (Karnataka): Mandya city and Maddur town in Karnataka came to a complete standstill on Saturday as the District Farmers' Welfare Committee called for a bandh in Mandya district to condemn the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
The district welfare committee and office bearers of various organizations held a meeting on Friday and called for a bandh on Saturday. The office-bearers of the Hitaraksha Samiti have requested to shut down all kinds of shop fronts including hotels, bakeries, and cinema halls.
Auto drivers, private vehicle owners, studio owners, people from all sections of the district, student groups, farmer organizations, Dalit conflict committees, progressive organizations, and Kannada organizations are voluntarily participating in the bandh and showing their support.
The common feeling among the residents is that Cauvery is everyone's right. The District Welfare Committee has requested to cooperate in Bandh in Mandya, Maddur, Malavalli, Srirangapatna, Pandavapur, KR Pete, and Nagamangala taluks.
This should be a cautionary lesson for the Karnataka government, Opposition parties and parliamentarians. Cauvery is the property of the state and it is everyone's duty to protect it. In this regard, all the shop fronts and associations of the district should warn the government by participating in the bandh, the office-bearers of the Hitraraksha Samiti have requested.
Police security: In the background of farmers and pro-Kannada organizations calling for a Mandya bandh over the issue of Cauvery river water distribution, tight police security has been made across the city. The bandh has been called from 8 am to 6 pm. There is good support from the people for the Mandya Bandh, and the police have taken strict precautions to prevent the protesters from entering near the KSR Dam. Necessary services including government transport, and medical services will be available. But private vehicles, auto services including shop fronts will be closed today.
Former minister CS Puttaraju and actor Abhishek Ambarish also supported the protest being conducted by the District Farmers Welfare Committee. He participated in the protest held in front of the Visvesvaraya statue of Mandya. Later, the protestors blocked the Bengaluru-Mysore highway and expressed their anger.
BJP has decided to hold a massive protest in Bengaluru: The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to hold a massive protest against the Karnataka government, demanding not to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and to announce compensation to the farmers of the state.
Preparations are being made for the protest in Mysore Bank Circle and the Cauvery Basin area of the city. There is heavy police presence on the roads around Freedom Park. About 300 to 400 police personnel and more than 3 KSRP contingents have been deployed for security. Traffic policemen have also been deployed to control the traffic around Freedom Park to ensure that the protesters and motorists are not disturbed in any way.
Tamil Nadu buses have been secured after protests for Cauvery water increased. There is a possibility of pro-Kannada organizations protesting in Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border areas, so security has been increased in the Atthibele and Hosur road areas. Also, a KSRP police contingent has been deployed near the satellite bus stand where Tamil Nadu buses stand.
