BENGALURU: The ploy to embarrass Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Bengaluru this coming Sunday will not play out as the high court on Friday declared the bandh called by pro-Kannada groups over Mahadayi water row as unconstitutional, and directed the state government to maintain peace and order on the day.
The dawn-to-dusk shutdown was to protest against inaction on the part of the Union and state governments to end the dispute between Goa and the state over sharing water of the river Mahadayi. The state witnessed a similar protest as recent as January 25, resulting in disruption of normal life, and loss to the economy.
On Friday, a division bench consisting of acting Chief Justice H G Ramesh and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar passed an interim order, asking the Siddaramaiah-led government to take appropriate steps to prevent a breakdown of law and order. The bench recalled a verdict of the Supreme Court declaring bandhs called by political parties and others as unconstitutional and restrained organizations which had issued the call for a shutdown not to go ahead with the strike on February 4.
The interim order was passed on a petition filed by Bengaluru-based Shraddha Parents Association', seeking a direction to term calls for such protests as unconstitutional, and direction to the government to take steps to prevent initiation of bandhs by any organization.
HC stops Vatal in his tracks
In view of the stay issued by the high court, Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj said he would withdraw the call for a bandh on Sunday. "We will mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the city as a Black Day," he told the media, adding that protests against the Union government for not stepping in to solve the row over sharing water of the river Mahadayi would continue. He lambasted BJP leaders for not prevailing upon Mr Modi to intervene and help the two states arrive at an amicable settlement on sharing water.
