Bengaluru: With more than 1,500 organisations extending support for the Karnataka Bandh, in protest against the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal rejecting the interim petition of the state, Bengaluru is likely to come to a standstill on Saturday.
Barring hospitals, ambulances, medical shops and milk supply, all other services will be hit across the state. However, there would be lukewarm response for the dawn-to-dusk bandh in Magaluru and Udupi districts, where organisations have not supported the call given by Kannada Okkoota (Kannada Federation).
Schools and colleges have been declared holiday while government and private buses, auto rickshaws and taxis (including airport taxis) will remain off the roads, with several drivers and owners’ union supporting the bandh. Hotels, restaurants, bars, pubs, petrol pumps and all other commercial establishments will be shut from 6 am till 6 pm.
Malls and cinemas will also be shut with the film industry extending support to the bandh. Cinemas have scheduled screening of movies only after 6 pm on Saturday.
Vatal Nagaraj, the head of Kannada Okkoota said that he request all citizens to take part in the bandh and stand in support of people of North Karnataka, who are fighting for the cause from decades.
“This is the time we should express our solidarity and we should make this bandh successful, to pass out a strong message to the Union Government,” he added. Meanwhile, Janata Dal (Secular) party has also supported the bandh.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made to avert any untoward incident. The police have deployed 36 KSRP platoons, 30 CAR platoons and 1,000 Home Guards along with the city police. As many as 21 ACPs, 106 inspectors, 174 sub inspectors, 368 ASIs, 956 head constables, 1,950 constables and 140 women police staff have been deployed throughout the city on Saturday.
In addition, one water jet and one Quick Response Team platoons will be deployed. All Hoysala vehicles will be patrolling across the city.
Film industry lends support Expressing its solidarity with the farmers, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) has decided that all movie shooting, dubbing and screening of movies in theatres and multiplexes and other film activities will be stopped on Saturday.
“We support the bandh, and we are protesting against the injustice meted out to the state by the Tribunal's order. The film industry will always be part of such agitation, seeking justice to our farmers,” said Sa Ra Govind, KFCC president. He said senior members from the industry will also participate in a protest rally at Town Hall in the city around 10:30 am on Saturday.
He appealed to everyone from the industry, including film producers, exhibitors, artistes, directors, distributors, technicians and others to participate in the rally.
Police beef up security in city
As the state braces for the bandh called by several farmers’organisations on Saturday in protest against the interim order of the Mahadayi tribunal denying Karnataka its share of water , the government on Friday warned troublemakers against taking the law into their own hands .
Home Minister, Dr G Parameshwar said the police would take strict action against those damaging public property or indulging in other violence during the bandh. Revealing that the government had made elaborate arrangements to maintain law and order on Saturday, the minister said the Centre had dispatched two BSF and two RAF battalions to help the state deal with the protestors.
“Additionally, the KSRP and DAR will be deployed along with the local police and three ADGP rank officers, Bhaskar Rao Kamal Panth and Raghavendra Auradkar will oversee the law and order situation,” he told reporters.
Elaborating on the violence in Hubli-Dharawad, in the aftermath of the tribunal’s verdict, Dr Parameshwar said public property worth over ' 85 lakh was damaged as eight government offices were set fire to and many important files were gutted.
As for the two students who consumed poison in protest, he said they were recovering in hospital. Denying the police had failed to control the agitators, the minister said trouble escalated when college students joined the protestors.
