The statewide dawn-to-dusk bandh called by pro-Kannada and farmers' organisations on the Cauvery water row on Friday threw life out of gear as transportation services were disrupted. Schools and colleges remained shut as protest marches were taken out across the state.
The shutdown was called by 'Kannada Okkuta', an umbrella organisation for Kannada outfits, including factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Kannada Chalavali (Vatal Paksha) and various farmers' bodies, against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
While over 44 flights to and from the Kempegowda International Airport had to be cancelled, the state transport corporations also suspended their bus services, especially in the Cauvery basin districts of Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar, where the bandh had the most impact.
"We cancelled 44 flights today. They include 22 flights to and an equal number of flights from Bengaluru due to the strike," an airport official told PTI.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) said there were only 59.88 per cent bus operations in southern parts of Karnataka. The worst hit were Mysuru and Chamarajanagar divisions. Against the scheduled departure of 447 buses, only seven plied in Mysuru while in Chamarajanagar, eight out of 247 bus services operated.
Mandya, Chikkamagaluru and Bengaluru witnessed 37.25 per cent, 51.49 per cent and 57.39 per cent operations, respectively, against the scheduled departures.
Bus stands and railway stations in southern Karnataka and the airport in Bengaluru wore a deserted look.
Farmers and pro-Kannada organisations staged protests near Attibele in Bengaluru, airport premises and in Mandya region. The members of a farmers' association in Karnataka's Mandya also held 'rail roko' protest over the Cauvery water sharing issue.
Police had to take many protesters, including pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, into preventive detention. "We have made proper arrangements given the bandh. More than 50 people from the organisations have been taken into custody. We have sufficient staff and we will make sure nothing goes wrong," Mallikarjun Baladandi, Additional SP of Bengaluru Rural district told reporters.
On the airport premises, over 12 people were taken into preventive detention. Protesters also swarmed bus stations staging demonstrations and raising slogans holding banners, posters and placards. The agitators blocked many roads in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar leading to a chaotic situation.
Section 144 has been imposed in Mandya district, and schools and colleges will remain closed. Most of the shops, business establishments and eateries in the Cauvery basin districts downed their shutters. Private vehicles were off the roads in those areas. Protesters set fire to a portrait of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin in the district headquarters town of Chitradurga.
'Release activists'
Former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday demanded that the state government release the activists detained during the bandh to protest the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. He added that the unity of the 'Kannada family' should be a wake-up call to the neighbouring state. "Entire Karnataka is throbbing for the Cauvery struggle. Today's bandh has evoked good response from all quarters," he wrote on 'X'.
"When it comes to the question of land, language and water, everyone should be united," the former CM said, adding "this harmony and unity in the Kannada family should be a wake-up call to the neighbouring states."
"The government should not suppress Kannada sentiments. The activists who have already been detained should be released," he said.
