Bengaluru police have imposed a curfew in the city from Monday night to Tuesday night in the wake of a bandh call given by pro-Kannada outfits and political organisations to protest against the release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu. Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayanand, however, said there was no room for a forceful bandh in the city.
“The protesters have sought permission for a protest march from the Town Hall to Freedom Park. The High Court had warned them that the organisers would be held responsible if anything goes wrong,” he said.
Over 10,000 policemen have been deputed in the city to prevent any untoward incident. “There is no problem if people observe bandh on their own. There is no provision to impose bandh,” Dayanand said.
“All precautions are being taken to ensure no untoward incident takes place in the city. Along with the police, the special wing officers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Internal Security Division (ISD) will also be deputed,” he added.
The bandh call was given by the 'Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti', an umbrella outfit of farmers' associations and other organisations led by farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar. Many of the opposition parties, including the BJP, have extended their support to the shutdown.
Meanwhile, the state government has informed the Karnataka High Court that no permission has been given to hold rallies and protest marches in the city. The provision is only given to observe peaceful protest in the premises of the Freedom Park in Bengaluru, it said.
Shanthakumar said they have received support from a number of organisations for their bandh call and would go ahead with it.
"We will come in a protest to Bengaluru's Freedom Park and stage a demonstration there with our demands. The state government, the chief minister, will have to receive our memorandum. If there is no proper response to our protest from the government, we will decide on our further course of action," he said.
Associations and unions operating autos and taxis have extended their complete support for tomorrow's bandh call. KSRTC Staff and Workers' Federation too has asked Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) staff not to bring out any buses from depots from dawn to dusk (6 am to 6 pm).
Ola-Uber Drivers' Association, however, said they will not support tomorrow's bandh, though they have extended support to the Karnataka bandh called on September 29 by Kannada Okkuta.
"Tomorrow our services will be normal. This decision was taken in a meeting held today in the presence of pro-Kannada and various organisations," the association in a statement said, adding that drivers are in the midst of financial difficulties and they are of the opinion that they cannot afford to lose two days of work.
The Hotel Owners' Association, too, has decided to withdraw support for the bandh tomorrow, citing confusion, and said all hotels and restaurants will be open.
The opposition BJP has announced that it would extend cooperation in ensuring that the Bengaluru bandh called by various organisations protesting against the release of Cauvery water is successful.
Party leader B.S. Yediyurappa accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar of behaving like agents of Tamil Nadu for complying with orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Water Regulation Committee, which the Supreme Court refused to interfere with.
