Karnataka bandh: Sandalwood to support strike on Friday over Cauvery water row

Normal life is expected to be affected in the state again in less than a week after the nationwide strike. Pro-Kannada organisations have called for a bandh on Sep. 9, protesting against the Supreme Court's latest directive to the Karnataka government to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for 10 days.

The Kannada film industry has extended its support to the bandh. Sa Ra Govindu, the President of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, has reportedly told a website that the industry will remain shut on Friday, Sep. 9 in support of the pro-Kannada activities, and farmers, who have called for a bandh.

Sa Ra Govindu has also said that he will be talking to other wings of the film industry to extend their support towards the bandh. However, it is still unclear whether the members of the organisation will organise a dharna or extend token support.

Kannada stars have often hit the streets in support of the farmers. In recent memory, the stars had held a rally in Hubballi demanding that the Centre implement the Kalasa-Banduri Nala Project soon.

However, the bandh will have impact on the collection of movies. Especially, it will take a toll on the business of the new releases, including "Mungaaru Male 2," which is scheduled to release on Sep. 9.

The bandh called by the Kannada outfits is set to paralyse the state from dawn to dusk. Especially, Mandya, Mysore, Bengaluru and many other regions in the Cauvery basin are expected to come to a standstill.

Meanwhile, Mandya, the heartland of Cauvery politics, is observing a bandh on Tuesday, Sept. 6. The protests have intensified following the Supreme Court's directive.