The statewide bandh in Karnataka called by pro-Kannada organisations on Monday (June 12) received a dull response with citizens carrying on with their daily business as usual and public transport, schools, business establishments functioning normally across the state.
The 12-hour bandh was called by 'Kannada Okkoota' — an umbrella organisation of pro-Kannada bodies — to put pressure on the Narendra Modi-led central government to intervene in the Mahadayi River water dispute and provide a permanent solution to the water crisis in north Karnataka. The organisation has also demanded a farm loan waiver. The state government is involved in a dispute with the Goa government on the bigger problem of sharing the river water between the two states.
Even though the bandh has hardly affected normal life across the state, incidents of protesters pelting stones, blocking roads and burning tyres have been reported from a few areas. A few universities and educational institutions have also postponed exams in view of the strike.
Vatal Nagaraj, leader of pro-Kannada groups, taken into preventive custody
Activist Vatal Nagaraj, leader of the pro-Kannada organisations, was taken into preventive custody by the police at Corporation Circle in Bengaluru while marching towards Vidhana Soudha from Town Hall. The Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha (KCVP) president has been taken to the Adugodi Armed Reserve Batallion grounds, police sources told The Hindu.
Nagaraj had planned to organise a rally from Town Hall to Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru to press for their charter of demands. Farmers have burned tyres on Nippani-Mudhol highway in Belagavi district. They have blocked the Nippani-Mudhol State Highway and Kankawadi - Raibag roads for over an hour each as part of the strike across the state.
Members of the Kannada Rakshana Vedike and Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha also held protests at the Kittur Channamma circle in Belgavi district. Protesters have blocked the Kittur Chennamma Circle in Hubballi while tyres were burnt in Anekal and shops forcibly shut down in Ramanagara town. Entry and exit points were also targeted to make the bandh successful.
KSRTC bus services got affected after protesters pelted stones at them in Kolar and Chikkballapur. Nagaraj had earlier threatened to pelt stones at buses if they did not support the bandh on Monday.
Security stepped up for Rahul Gandhi, Hamid Ansari visit
Security across the state has been stepped up as the bandh has clashed with the visit of Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to Bengaluru.
Karnataka: Vice President Hamid Ansari and Rahul Gandhi at launch of commemorative edition of The National Herald in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/FoZ2L7WdUK
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 12, 2017
Praveen Sood, the city police commissioner, issued notices to the organisations on Sunday to not hold the strike across the state warning that strict action would be taken against them.
Around 75 platoons of the Karnataka Special Reserve Police (KSRP), Quick Response Teams and 16,000 police personnel have been deployed in strategic locations to maintain law and order across the state. Around 250 hoysala vehicles have been given the task of patrolling sensitive areas.
Special security arrangements have been made at the airport and all railway stations in the city to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. A senior police officer was quoted by the New Indian Express as saying: "More than 200 Hoysala vehicle staff will be patrolling. Apart from this, one water jet, one Quick Response Team platoons are deployed... Activists of some groups have been taken into preventive custody."
It's life as usual for Karnataka citizens
Shops, schools and colleges, business establishments, trading units, public transport, and fuel stations are functioning normally in most districts across the state.
The police have also said that there has been a lukewarm response to the bandh with citizens going about their usual business and public vehicles, including BMTC buses, autos, cab services and Metro rails, moving around normally.
Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban, V Shankar, had earlier said that no holiday has been declared for schools and colleges and that they would remain open on Monday.
Exams postponed
The Bangalore University has postponed a few exams for its post-graduate students in view of the protests on Monday. The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has postponed exams due to the strike. New dates of the exams have not been declared yet.
The Karnataka State Secondary Education Examinations Board has also postponed examinations to June 13.
