Cauvery row: Total shutdown in Bengaluru; Coastal Karnataka unaffected
BENGALURU: It was the fourth lockdown in six weeks, but Friday’s bandh was absolute as the IT hub, all the districts in the Cauvery basin and Malnad region turned into ghost towns on Friday - barring the protesters who owned the streets and the cities.
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As some 14,000 security personnel were deployed to maintain peace and order during the lockdown, and protesters burnt tyres as the police watched to ensure the situation did not escalate, the bandh by Kannada Okkuta, an umbrella of about 800 organisations, to protest against the Supreme Court’s order for release of 15,000 cusecs of water for the next ten days to Tamil Nadu, remained largely free of violence.
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Bengaluru was owned by motorbike-borne pro-Kannada activists whizzing around to make sure that none dare defy the bandh-call till dusk. More than 10,000 agitators zeroed in on the Town Hall while those from the tinsel world, led by Shivarajkumar, staged a demonstration in front of the office of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, demanding justice for the state.
Boys play cricket on a prominent road in Mysuru as the city observed a bandh on Friday against release of water to Tamil Nadu. (Photo: DC)
At least four distraught farmers near KRS dam in Mandya district, attempted to commit suicide. Two of them jumped into the river and raised slogans against the government but swam to safety. Another farmer, Ramegowda (58) from Chadregrama village in Pandavapura taluk, too jumped into the river and was caught in the weeds. The fire department rescued him and shifted him to hospital. Yet another farmer attempted to consume pesticide but was prevented by policemen. In Bengaluru, too, Prabhu, 30, stabbed himself and collapsed during a protest rally but was rushed to a hospital nearby. In coastal and some districts in north-Karnataka, life was normal as people did not respond to the call for a dawn-to-dusk shutdown.
Talisman in the city of fear
Guess what the hottest selling item was in the run up to the pro-Cauvery bandh? Karnataka maps and flags sold like hot cakes across the city. Scores of buildings with glass facades, malls, buildings housing IT industries, tech parks sported Karnataka map or flags to get immunity from stone pelting by activists and protesters.
A worker takes a nap at KR Market. (Photo: Satish B)
Large number of people, auto drivers and motor bike riders bought flags that were tied to their vehicles. And yes, Kannada film icon Rajkumar’s posters were the other talisman of protection invoked in the city of fear!
Experts: We have enough grounds to move Supreme Court
Several legal experts have opinioned that Karnataka has enough grounds to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court, seeking modification of its order on release of 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for ten days. Former Advocate General and senior counsel, B.V. Acharaya, told DC the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction to direct the state to release water to Tamil Nadu. Instead, it could direct Tamil Nadu to approach Cauvery Supervisory Committee for implementation of the final award of Cauvery River Disputes Tribunal, he said adding that Karnataka could approach the apex court to modify its order.
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Mr. Acharaya said TN would approach the supervisory committee seeking implementation of the award. In these circumstances, the apex court could modify its order by reducing the number of days stipulated for flow of water from 10 to 6. With sufficient grounds, Karnataka must seek modification of the original order. First, the north-east monsoon has entered TN. Second, water storage in four reservoirs Cauvery basin has dipped to its lowest level. While filing modification petition, the state government should once again submit its distress situation in the state, Mr. Achraya added. Mr R.S. Ravi, advocate representing the state legal team in the SC, said after consulting Fali S. Nariman, the government would file a modification petition. Karnataka would again submit its distress situation to the SC. If, TN receives enough rain from north-east monsoon, there would be no worry for Karnataka.
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Mr. Ravi defended the submission by state legal team in the apex court. If Mr Nariman had not submitted that Karnataka could release 10,000 cusecs of water for ten days as good gesture, there was every possibility of SC passing unscientific order directing Karnataka to release nearly 25 tmcft of water to TN, considering the court’s observation the previous day, he added.
