BENGALURU: While, pro-Kannada associations in particular various factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike supported by Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal Secular have been bracing up for Karnataka bandh tomorrow from 6 a to 6 pm to express their opposition to release water to Tamil Nadu, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday appealed to leaders of the associations that permission would not be given to observe bandh but the associations can stage protests.
On Friday, protesters would take out a rally from Town Hall premises to Freedom Park. On the bandh, Deputy Chief Minister to reporters in Bengaluru stated that there are guidelines issued by both High Court and Supreme Court and these guidelines have to be adhered to and asked for protest but not to observe bandh across the State.
Over the water release demand by Tamil Nadu, the said Tamil Nadu has demanded water release of 11,000 cusecs and our officials concerned have been asked to participate in the Cauvery Water Management Authority meeting in person and exuded confidence that the officials concerned will argue effectively in the meeting and apprise the Authority of the prevailing situation in Karnataka.
Already, he said, Cauvery Water Regulation Committee has ordered for release of 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu and after the meeting of CWMA tomorrow future course of action would be chalked out.
BJP leader and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated his party’s support for the Karnataka bandh. Meanwhile, Karnataka State Hotels Association held a meeting in Bengaluru and passed a resolution to extend their support to the bandh. Mysore Hotel Association president Narayan Gowda stated that hotels, restaurants, bakeries, sweet shops, fast food outlets, tea/coffee shops, chat centres among others would down their shutters from 6 am to 6 pm on Friday expressing solidarity with the pro-Kannada associations.
Narayan Gowda said the members of the Hotels Association will gather at Kote Anjaneya Temple in the Mysore Palace premises and take out a rally to submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. State owned buses and Metro services will be available as usual.
