Karnataka Bandh: Dakshina Kannada & Udupi see normalcy

Karnataka Bandh: Dakshina Kannada & Udupi see normalcy

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 10, 2016:  In the twin districts the Sept 9, Friday Karnataka bandh called by various pro-Kannada organisations   condemning the order of the Supreme Court directing the state to release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu had little impact. There was normalcy in DK and Udupi in local terms.

Government offices and banks functioned as usual. KSRTC, private and city buses too operated. Commercial activities were normal in the city.   The police had beefed up security to arrest any untoward incident during the day in view of the bandh.

DK DC Dr K G Jagadeesha had declared a holiday for schools and colleges. However, a few students from educational institutions were put into quandary as they had come all the way from home in rural areas to schools/colleges unaware of the holiday. 

KSRTC Divisional Controller Vivekanand Hegde said the long route inter-district buses did not operate in the morning. However, the service of long route buses to Mandya, Mysuru and Bengaluru started late in the afternoon. KSRTC buses operated within the district throughout the day.  No organisations had given a call for bandh in the district.   Dakshina Kannada Bus Owners’ Association President Aziz Parthipady said buses operated normally. 

Counselling put off  :  An inter-cadre mutual transfer counselling for teachers of Government Primary Schools earlier scheduled has been postponed to September 10.   It will be held at the BEO’s office, Mangaluru North Block, Balmatta, from 10 am on that day, a press release from the DDPI’s office said.

Protest : Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Swabhimani faction) staged a protest against the Supreme Court’s direction in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office.   Addressing the protesters, Vedike district unit president Mohammed Kukkuvalli criticised the failure of the state government’s counsel to argue in favour of the state in the court. "We cannot keep quiet if injustice meted out in River Cauvery and Nethravathi issues," he stated.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction) too staged a protest in front of the DC’s office.Addressing the protesters, Vedike’s district president Anil Das urged the government to change state’s counsel Fali S Nariman in Cauvery case.   All should be united to fight for the cause of River Cauvery, he said. The protesters took out a bike rally from Ambedkar Circle to the DC’s office on the occasion.

Bandh in Udupi district zero :

Bandh call given by various organisations against the Supreme Court verdict in Cauvery river water issue did not have any impact in Udupi too. However, the government schools and colleges were closed to prevent inconvenience to students and teachers.

The district BJP unit staged a protest rally from Jodukatte to Service Bus Stop and staged a rastha roko protest in front of the KSRTC bus stand for a few minutes.

District BJP president Mattaru Ratnakar Hegde criticised the state government for failing to protest the interest of the farmers. The reservoirs in Cauvery belt are not full. The government’s decision to bow to the Supreme Court order exemplifies its reluctance in present its points in a better way. The farmers in Mandya region are suffering due to water scarcity and there will be massive shortage for drinking water in Bengaluru region, he said.   The protesters raised slogans against the government and also Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha.

The district unit workers of Karnataka Karmika Vedike and Jaya Karnataka took out a protest rally and raised slogans against Jayalalitha and the state’s counsel Fali S Nariman. The two factions of Karnatak Rakshana Vedike too staged protest and held padayatra from Jodukatte to Clock Tower. Vedike state coordinator Prasanna Kumar Shetty said government has offended the sentiments of six core people of the state. The protesters carried Jayalalitha’s effigy from Jodukatte to Clock Tower and burnt it in front of the gatherers.

They also burnt the photograph of Nariman. The members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction) demanded that the government should immediately stop the releasing water to Tamil Nadu. They also criticised the Union government for keeping mum in the issue.