Clash over Cauvery water issue again, hearing to be held in Supreme Court today - Bengaluru will remain closed

Cauvery Water Dispute: There has once again been a clash between two southern states over the Cauvery water dispute. Protests have intensified in Karnataka regarding the release of Kaveri river water for Tamil Nadu. Bengaluru bandh has been called today on this issue. Section 144 has been imposed in Bengaluru. All schools and colleges of the city have also been kept closed. The bandh has been announced by 'Karnataka Water Conservation Committee', the main organization of farmer unions and other organizations under the leadership of farmer leader Kuruburu Shantakumar. A bandh has been announced in entire Karnataka on Friday.

#WATCH | Karnataka: Bengaluru Bandh has been called by various organizations regarding the Cauvery water issue. According to BMTC, all routes of Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation will be operational as usual.

(Visuals from Majestic BMTC Bus stop, Bengaluru) pic.twitter.com/fSZSeLyKMh

— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2023

Protests continue against the decision

Cauvery Water Management Authority had ordered Tamil Nadu to release 5 thousand cusecs of water for 15 days, after which farmers' organizations and Kannada-backed organizations are continuing to protest against this decision. In such a situation, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that his government will not stop the protesters, but peace and order should be maintained.

Government is committed to protecting the interests of the state- CM Siddaramaiah

CM Siddaramaiah also said that the state government will present its concrete arguments during the hearing on this issue in the Supreme Court and the government is committed to protecting the interests of the state. On the Cauvery issue, BJP and Janata Dal-Secular have been accused of doing politics. Farmers union in Tamil Nadu has urged the state government to take appropriate steps through the central government to stop the protests taking place today.

Farmer leader Kuruburu Shantakumar said that we have received support from many organizations regarding the bandh and we will move forward on it. Today we will protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru and hold a sit-in there with our demands. The Chief Minister will have to take our memorandum. If we do not get any appropriate response to our protest from the government, then we will consider further action and take a decision.

Deve Gowda wrote a letter to PM Modi

Amidst the water dispute, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has written a letter to PM Narendra Modi appealing that he should order the Jal Shakti Ministry to appoint an external agency to study all the reservoirs in the Cauvery basin. Deve Gowda also stressed the need to work out an appropriate formula to be applicable to all concerned states in such situations.