Karnataka bandh highlights: ‘Happy news’, says CM DK Shivakumar as Kannada activists withdraw shutdown call

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Some Kannada organisations, farmer groups and activists called the shutdown.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: The Karnataka bandh was called by pro-Kannada organisations over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute, with protesters opposing directions to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

The groups said Karnataka’s own drinking-water and irrigation needs must be prioritised and demanded measures to strengthen the state’s water resources. They also sought the implementation of the Mekedatu project and other steps to improve Karnataka’s water security. The organisations clarified that they were not opposed to sharing Cauvery water, but wanted the state’s own requirements to be addressed first.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Schools, banks and hospitals functioned normally amid the shutdown call. Public transport also remained unaffected, with the BMTC and KSRTC employees' associations not supporting the bandh. Private bus associations, transporters and autorickshaw associations also distanced themselves from the protest. Street vendors operated as usual.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Karnataka CM D K Shivakumar on Thursday bowed to the threshold of the Legislative Assembly and the CM’s chair as he entered the House for the first time since taking charge. He said, “With the blessings of crores of Kannadigas, bowing to the ideals of democracy, I take my first step into the House as Chief Minister.”

Shivakumar also greeted Opposition leaders R Ashoka and Arvind Bellad. The 10-day monsoon session, ending on August 27, is expected to see heated debates over drought management, the Cauvery water release to Tamil Nadu, the GBIT land acquisition project and demands for minister B Nagendra’s resignation.

The House will also elect a new speaker, deputy speaker, council chairman and deputy chairman.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: The Cauvery row is a long-running water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over how much water from the Cauvery river Karnataka should release to Tamil Nadu.

The river originates in Karnataka and flows through Tamil Nadu before reaching the Bay of Bengal. Karnataka argues that it needs enough water for drinking and irrigation, especially when rainfall and reservoir levels are low. Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, depends heavily on Cauvery water for agriculture in its delta region and argues that Karnataka must honour the water-sharing arrangements.

The dispute has been fought through courts and water-management bodies for decades. The Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment fixed the annual allocation between the two states, while the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) oversees releases during periods of disagreement. The issue regularly becomes contentious during weak monsoons, when both states face competing demands for limited water.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Kannada activists have withdrawn their Karnataka bandh call after meeting Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday, as the state Assembly began its session. Shivakumar said, "All the Kannada activists met me. They have withdrawn their bandh call," and thanked them, adding, “Today is the first day of the Assembly after I took over as the Chief Minister. I thank all the activists.”

The bandh was linked to the Cauvery water-sharing dispute, with pro-Kannada groups opposing water release to Tamil Nadu and demanding measures to address Karnataka’s own drinking-water and irrigation needs, including progress on the Mekedatu project. (ANI)

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Karnataka is observing a statewide bandh on August 13 to protest the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s direction to the state to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

Pro-Kannada organisations and farmers’ groups say that the release is too high and could affect Karnataka’s own drinking-water and irrigation needs. The protesters are also demanding progress on pending water projects, including Mekedatu and Mahadayi.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: The Supreme Court has deferred to August 17 the hearing on Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking directions to Karnataka to comply with the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) decision on the release of Cauvery water, after Justice Vikram Nath, who was to head the bench hearing the matter, fell ill with viral fever.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Wednesday said that the matter, which was earlier scheduled to be heard on Thursday, will now come up before a bench headed by Justice Nath, who is expected to resume judicial work next week.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: The bandh was called by the Federation of Kannada organisations led by activist Vatal Nagaraj, in protest against the directions of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.

The call lost some momentum after several Kannada organisations withdrew their support. Chief ninister DK Shivakumar said that some activists, including Praveen Shetty and Sa Ra Govindu, had met him and informed him that they were withdrawing the bandh call.

"They have said that they are withdrawing the call, which is very happy news. I congratulate them and thank them for it," Shivakumar told reporters.

via PTI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Several Kanada organisations and farm leaders called for the protest against the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) order directing the state to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: The Karnataka bandh will end at 6 pm after it started at 6 am.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Schools, banks and hospitals are functioning per normal. Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport also remained operational.

Public transport also remains unaffected as Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) employees' association have not provided support to the bandh. So are the private bus associations, transporters and autorickshaw associations, who have distanced themselves from the bandh.

Similarly, street vendors will also function as usual because everyone is only extending moral support.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: In Mysuru, the bandh largely remained confined to protests. Bus services from the suburban bus stand to Bengaluru, Mangaluru and other parts of the state were operated normally.

Commercial establishments--shops and hotels remained open as usual, while autorickshaws and taxis also operated without any disruption.

Police detained pro-Kannada activists who attempted to block buses near the suburban bus stand.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Amid the statewide Karnataka bandh on Thursday over the Cauvery water-sharing issue, the Mandya district administration has imposed strict restrictions on liquor sales and heightened security across key locations as a precautionary measure.

The restrictions have been imposed in view of the bandh and the possibility of large gatherings and protests in the district.

The Deputy Commissioner has ordered a one-day ban on the sale of liquor in K.R. Pet, Srirangapatna, Maddur, and Mandya taluks.

Under the order, all types of liquor shops, bars, and restaurants serving liquor have been directed to remain closed for the day.

The district administration has also prohibited the sale, transportation, and storage of liquor in the district during the period of the restriction.

via ANI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: In Mandya, the epicentre of the Cauvery agitation, farmers and pro-Kannada organisations staged protests at Sanjay Circle and other locations. Protesters carried empty pots and horse gram, shouting slogans such as "our water, our right," and blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru old highway.

via PTI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Statewide Karnataka bandh started at 6 am and will continue till 6 pm.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: In Mysuru, the bandh largely remained confined to protests. Bus services from the suburban bus stand to Bengaluru, Mangaluru and other parts of the state were operated normally.

Commercial establishments--shops and hotels remained open as usual, while autorickshaws and taxis also operated without any disruption.

Police detained pro-Kannada activists who attempted to block buses near the suburban bus stand.

via PTI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Activist Vatal Nagaraj was taken into preventive custody from his residence in Bengaluru before he could join the planned protests. Police took Nagaraj into custody from his residence in Dollars Colony in the city after he refused to come out.

He had reportedly planned a rally from the BMTC-KSRTC bus stand to Town Hall and then to Freedom Park, where a protest was to be held.

Nagaraj sat inside his house with his mouth gagged as a mark of silent protest and told police that he would not speak to them or participate in the rally.

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: In Mandya, the epicentre of the Cauvery agitation, farmers and pro-Kannada organisations staged protests at Sanjay Circle and other locations. Protesters carried empty pots and horse gram, shouting slogans such as "our water, our right," and blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru old highway.

The horse gram was used as a symbol of the alternative crop farmers may be forced to grow instead of paddy because of the lack of water. One protester appealed to the government to not release even a drop of water to Tamil Nadu and urged it to defy the CWRC and CWMA orders.

Protesters described the directions to release water as a death warrant for farmers and criticised successive governments for allegedly "failing" to protect Karnataka's interests in the Cauvery dispute.

They also invoked former chief ministers D Devaraj Urs and S Bangarappa while demanding that the state government take a firm stand against the water-sharing directions.

via PTI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Vatal Nagaraj was taken into preventive custody from his residence in Bengaluru before he could join the planned protests. Police took Nagaraj into custody from his residence in Dollars Colony in the city after he refused to come out.

He had reportedly planned a rally from the BMTC-KSRTC bus stand to Town Hall and then to Freedom Park, where a protest was to be held.

Nagaraj sat inside his house with his mouth gagged as a mark of silent protest and told police that he would not speak to them or participate in the rally.

via PTI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: The bandh was called by the Federation of Kannada organisations led by activist Vatal Nagaraj, in protest against the directions of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.

The call lost some momentum after several Kannada organisations withdrew their support. Chief ninister DK Shivakumar said that some activists, including Praveen Shetty and Sa Ra Govindu, had met him and informed him that they were withdrawing the bandh call.

"They have said that they are withdrawing the call, which is very happy news. I congratulate them and thank them for it," Shivakumar told reporters.

via PTI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: The Karnataka bandh called by pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj on Thursday against the Cauvery water release to Tamil Nadu evoked mixed response, with intense protests in Mandya and preventive detentions at several places, while life remained unaffected in major urban centers like Bengaluru and Mysuru as organisations that had backed the agitation initially, later withdrew support.

The bandh was called by the Federation of Kannada organisations led by activist Vatal Nagaraj, in protest against the directions of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.

via PTI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: A unique protest was witnessed in Koppal on Thursday as Karnataka observed a statewide bandh over the Cauvery water-sharing issue, with protesters offering roses to drivers of Tamil Nadu-origin lorries while urging them not to "provoke" Karnataka amid the ongoing dispute over the release of Cauvery water.

The demonstration was held at the Hitnal Toll Gate on the National Highway in Koppal taluk, where activists led by Kerave Yuva Sene leader Vijayakumar stopped Tamil Nadu-origin lorries as part of the bandh.

Rather than confronting the drivers, the protesters handed them roses as a symbolic gesture.

"We are peace-loving people. Do not provoke us," Vijayakumar told the lorry drivers while handing over the flowers.

The protesters also raised slogans against the Tamil Nadu government and expressed their opposition to the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) directive to Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

"Take the flowers, don't ask for water," protesters shouted during the demonstration.

The protest was subsequently intervened by police, who detained the organisers and took them into custody.

via ANI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: Security arrangements have been significantly strengthened in Mandya city, particularly around Sanjay Circle, where a major protest is expected to take place during the bandh.

Police have sounded a high alert in the area, and additional forces have been deployed to deal with any situation that may arise during the demonstrations.

Local police personnel have been stationed at the protest-sensitive location along with personnel from the District Armed Reserve (DAR) and Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP).

The deployment is aimed at maintaining law and order, regulating crowds, and preventing any untoward incident during the statewide shutdown.

via ANI

Karnataka bandh LIVE updates: The Mandya district administration has imposed strict restrictions on liquor sales and heightened security across key locations as a precautionary measure.

The restrictions have been imposed in view of the bandh and the possibility of large gatherings and protests in the district.

The Deputy Commissioner has ordered a one-day ban on the sale of liquor in K.R. Pet, Srirangapatna, Maddur, and Mandya taluks.

Under the order, all types of liquor shops, bars, and restaurants serving liquor have been directed to remain closed for the day.

The district administration has also prohibited the sale, transportation, and storage of liquor in the district during the period of the restriction.

The move has been taken as a preventive measure to maintain peace and prevent any incidents of violence or disruption during the bandh.

via ANI