K’taka bandh likely to hit normal life amid govt’s effort to minimise impact

Bengaluru: The Karnataka bandh call given by Kannada organisations over release of water to Tamil Nadu is likely to affect normal life in Bengaluru on Friday.

The Congress government has warned that there is no room for observing a bandh and the permission has only been given for a peaceful protest.

However, Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj has claimed that the bandh is going to be a success and it does not matter whether prohibitory orders are clamped in the state or not.

“CM Siddaramaiah should support the bandh and protest march. This is about the River Cauvery. The protestors should not be troubled by the police. We are taking out a peaceful protest march and not indulging in violence. I appeal to the president of Advocates’ Association to boycott the legal proceedings and support the bandh.

“Employees of the state transport corporations should also support the bandh,” he said.

The state government had given oral directions for the staff of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to attend duties on Friday without fail.

Ola-Uber Cab Drivers’ Association president Tanveer Pasha stated that the cab aggregators will take part in the Karnataka bandh.

Between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. the service of cabs and autos would be stopped. 1.25 lakh autos and 50,000 cabs would not ply on Friday till evening 6 p.m.

Kuruburu Shantakumar, state president of Sugarcane Growers’ Association and Convenor of Jala Samrakshana Samithi had stated that the organisations under their umbrella would stage road blocks between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on state and national highways across Karnataka.

“We will lay siege to the residence of CM Siddaramaiah,” he explained. However, he maintained that the samithi would not support the Karnataka bandh call.

Organisers of the Karnataka bandh had not given support to the Bengaluru bandh observed successfully on September 26.

The IT industry and corporates have decided to go online without taking any chances. Most of the employees are in a holiday mood and are leaving Bengaluru either for their native places or for holiday destinations.

Bengaluru City University, Tumakuru University, Rani Channamma University in Belagavi, Visvesvaraya Technological University, Davanagere University and the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) have postponed exams scheduled to be held on Friday due to the Karnataka bandh.