As the Karnataka bandh over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu threw normal life out of gear, including in the state capital Bengaluru on Friday, Minister for Home Dr G Parameshwara met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and briefed him about the situation.
Karnataka Police Chief Alok Mohan and Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayanand accompanied Home Minister Parameshwara and held a discussion with the CM.
Siddaramaiah got district-wise updates from the Home Ministry and the future course of action was discussed in the meeting, sources said.
Though no incident of violence has been reported as yet, the bandh hit life throughout the state.
The police were on their toes reining-in protestors and taking them into custody.
A major security breach was averted in the morning at the Bengaluru International Airport and over 25 people were detained in this connection.
Sources explained that Siddaramaiah had given orders to the police to maintain law and order in the state and ensure that no untoward incidents took place.
Karnataka Police took major Kannada activists into custody. Vatal Nagaraj, one of the prominent leaders came clad in a burqa with a plastic pitcher to stage a protest. Nagaraj blasted Siddaramaiah and the Congress government for arresting Kannada activists.
"The government is not supporting the bandh. The police are pressurising us not to stage a protest. Karnataka has been turned into a police state. The police are acting like goondas," he said.
Nagaraj said that 50,000 police personnel were deputed in Bengaluru alone. "They have deputed lakhs of policemen across Karnataka. Because of the heavy police presence, the bandh has become successful. I thank the people of the state. The government did not understand the sentiments of the people. The arrests have been made recklessly. They are making Karnataka a goonda state," he charged.
"Mr. Home Minister, when have you staged a protest or agitation? Do you think you are god? I am in a different attire today. You can call this a burqa as well as the attire of the goddess of justice. Prime Minister Modi and the whole country should know about our protest," he said.
(With inputs from IANS)
