Karnataka bandh today over Cauvery dispute: What's open, what's closed
What's the story
Karnataka is observing a statewide bandh on Thursday from 6:00am to 6:00pm in protest against the Cauvery water dispute. The bandh was called by Karnataka Okkuta state president Vatal Nagaraj and other pro-Kannada organizations, demanding that the state government stop releasing water. However, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike has opted out of the bandh. Its president Praveen Shetty said they will continue their own protests but asked Nagaraj to reconsider his decision.
Protest reason
Bandh called in response to CWMA's Cauvery water order
The bandh was called following a directive from the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to release 12,000 cusecs of water for 15 days from August 12. This amounts to around 16 TMC of water.
The order was later upheld by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).
Despite the bandh call, it is likely to have minimal impact on daily life in Karnataka. Schools, banks, hospitals, and public transport are expected to function normally.
Minimal disruption
Bandh likely to have minimal impact on daily life
Private schools under Karnataka Associated Management of Schools (KAMS) have also retracted their earlier advisory on school closures due to academic concerns.
However, KAMS has asked member schools to use this opportunity for educational awareness about the Cauvery water dispute.
School managements, teaching staff and other employees have been asked to wear black ribbons or black strips as a mark of solidarity, TNM reported.
Police statement
Bengaluru City Police appeal for peace ahead of bandh
Bengaluru City Police have appealed for peace and cooperation ahead of the bandh. They stressed on respecting everyone's right to carry out daily activities without disruption.
The department stated that any act involving violence, threats, destruction to public or private property, obstruction of road traffic or critical services, or any other act of self-policing will be dealt with "firmly and appropriately in accordance with the law."
Protest plans
Kumaraswamy slams Shivakumar over Cauvery row
Union minister HD Kumaraswamy has weighed in on the issue, saying Karnataka's water security shouldn't be compromised.
Rather than bolstering the state's legal position, he claimed Chief Minister DK Shivakumar encouraged farmers in the Cauvery and Krishna basins not to cultivate crops, resulting in losses, including damage to standing crops.
He alleged that the state government failed to seek proper legal opinion from experts on interstate water disputes and sidelined its own legal team.