Karnataka Bandh: Services Resume and Protest Ends
The Mahadayi river has been a bone of contention between Karnataka and Goa.
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Bandh Ends Across Karnataka
The dawn to dusk bandh has come to an end across the state, restoring life back to normalcy.
It was seen that the northern districts under the Malaprabha river basin were most affected. The shutdown also logged out India's tech hub Bengaluru. IT companies like Infosys, Wipro and other multinational firms had declared a day off for its employees.
Demanding a speedy resolution to the Mahadayi water dispute, pro-Kannada organisations called for a statewide bandh on Thursday, 25 January. They are demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervene in the matter to settle the contention between Karnataka and Goa.
The bandh is likely to affect normal life across the state from 6 am to 6 pm. Several pro-Kannada organisations and farmer outfits are expected to participate in the bandh.
- Pro-Kannada organisations have called for a statewide bandh in Karnataka on Thursday, 25 January
- The bandh has been called to press for a quick resolution to the Mahadayi water dispute with Goa
- Normal life is likely to be thrown out of gear
- Private schools and colleges remain closed across Bengaluru, even as buses, Metro, are private cabs are likely to run
Amit Shah Addressed A Rally in Mysuru Despite Bandh
Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, addressed the gathering at the Parivartana Rally in Maharaja College Ground, Mysuru.
The meeting was rescheduled owing to protests by pro-Kannada groups across the state. Pro-Kannada activists have called for another bandh on 4 February, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the state.
Pro-Kannada Leader Says He Will Call For a Protest In Delhi
Vatal Nagaraj, a leader of Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha (KCVP) says that there is a plan in place to organise a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi in the coming days. He also said that an unfair treatment is being meted out to the north Kannadigas’. “We will make sure that the Prime Minister intervenes to resolve the issue,” he told media persons in Bengaluru.
Pro-Kannada Activists Shut Down Hotel Empire in Bengaluru
Prakash Raj Steps In To Comment on the Mahadayi Dispute
Actor Prakash Raj has put forth his views on Twitter with regard to the Mahadayi river dispute.
The News Minute has transcribed the content as follows - “With regard to the Mahadayi issue, all political parties and the government should stop playing politics. The water flowing from Kalasa-Banduri is Kannadigas’ right.
When a political party is elected into power, they stop being a party and become a citizen-serving government. If some party is in power in the centre or in another state, saying that we will bring water as a party, it is a lie.
This is a citizen's movement. Please don't play politics over people's fundamental rights. I stand with citizens in this movement. All leaders, leaving aside political affiliations, leaving aside your begging for votes, come together on one platform and unitedly protest. We will fight for our rights.”
VTU and Bangalore University Reschedule Exams
Both Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) in Belagavi and Bangalore University have postponed the exams that were to be held on 25 January in the light of the state-wide bandh over the Mahadayi river dispute.
Goa Suspended Bus Services To and From K'taka
Media reports stated that bus services to and from Goa were disrupted. The Goa-government run Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) usually plies its buses to Panaji as well as other parts of Karnataka, like Belagavi, Hubli, Bagalkot and Bengaluru.
However, their bus services were called off for the day in the light of the bandh.
Activists Raised Slogans Against Manohar Parrikar
Several members of pro-Kannada organisations raised slogans against the Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at Bengaluru's Town Hall.
The states of Karnataka and Goa have been locked in a battle with regard to sharing of the Mahadayi river water over the last few months. The matter is currently pending before the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal.
Flight Services Took a Hit at the Bengaluru Airport
Pro-Kannada organisations staged a protest at the Bengaluru International Airport. Airport officials said flight services like Vayu Vajra and Flybus were affected.
However, people who have to commute to and from the airport had no reason to worry since taxi services like Uber and Ola continued to be operational.
Pro-Kannada Organisations Attempted to Stop Railway Operations
Activists gathered at the Bengaluru Central Railway Station in order to try and halt railway services. However, the agitators were later arrested by police officials.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike On a Bike Rally
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), an active pro-Kannada protection forum, organised a bike rally and took to the streets of Bengaluru in the morning.
Protests Across Attibele and Hubli in Karnataka
A road roko protest was held at Attibele near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. Other northern districts of the state like Hubli, which come under Malaprabha river basin, were also affected.
Security Arrangements for Karnataka Bandh
The Bengaluru Police made security arrangements across the city in order to prevent any untoward incidents.
Normal Life Came to a Standstill Across Many Districts in Karnataka
Districts across north Karnataka were affected due to the bandh. Shops and establishments downed their shutters across the Malaprabha river basin in Gadag, Dharwad, Belagavi, Haveri and Bagalkot and its neighbouring areas.
Schools and colleges remained closed and buses as well as other means of transport were off the roads in these regions.
Bengaluru Wore A Deserted Look On 25 January
Bengaluru was shut down just a day before Republic Day celebrations. Most of the commercial establishments shut shop and even vehicular movement was affected.
BJP Says Bandh Orchestrated by Congress
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress locked horns over the bandh in Karnataka. While the Congress has supported the bandh, the BJP said that was merely a political gimmick.
Bengaluru and Other Cities Remained Shut
Many private schools and colleges across Bengaluru declared a holiday in light of the bandh call by pro-Kannada organisations. Since the Karnataka State Government Employees' Association extended support to the same, government offices remained shut too.
While the bandh affected private transport like cabs, taxis, auto-rickshaws and state-run KSRTC and BMTC buses, Metro remained unstirred.
Theaters and multiplexes stopped operations. However, essential services like hospitals and chemists' shops were kept open.
What Is the Mahadayi River Dispute?
River Mahadayi, which flows into Goa as Mandovi, originates from Karnataka’s Belgaum district. The river flows 35 kilometres through Karnataka and then 52 km through Goa, before leading into the Arabian Sea.
In Karnataka, more than a river, Mahadayi is a cluster of springs and only as it reaches Goa does it become a proper river. The river is the lifeline for drought-affected districts of North Karnataka. Due to this, Karnataka made plans to construct dams and canals along the river to divert the water to drought-affected areas.
But the river is also important for Goa, and it vehemently opposed Karnataka’s attempt to construct dams. The matter subsequently went before a tribunal.
On 27 July 2016, the Mahadayi River Disputes Tribunal rejected an interim plea by Karnataka to allow diversion of 7.56 thousand million cubic (tmc) feet to meet the drinking water requirements in four northern districts of Karnataka, and matter remains under dispute.
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