The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Agitation against tribunal award continues

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 12, 2007
ePaper


<SCRIPT language='JavaScript1.1' SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?"> </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT> <A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?"> <IMG SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=468 HEIGHT=60 ALT="Click Here"></A> </NOSCRIPT>

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Agitation against tribunal award continues

Staff Reporter

Several organisations extend support to today's bandh call; protests gaining novel forms,

Bangalore: Protests against the Cauvery tribunal verdict have been assuming novel forms. The self-motivated group of actor Chidananda (of Paapa Pandu fame) and friends have been going around the city with a street play that urges an amicable settlement outside the bureaucratic framework.

The group, which plans to enact the play along the road to Mysore, insists that this crisis needs to be resolved peacefully and between farmers of the respective States.

The social base of the protests however seems to be ever widening. More and more organisations have joined hands in expressing their solidarity to the State-wide bandh call on Monday. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike plans a massive railway bandh. Thousands of members of this organisation will sit in dharna at Yeshwantpur, Malleswaram, and City Central railway stations and also intend to have a rail roko at 1 p.m.

Cauvery Justification Committee, however, has conceived a more peaceful mode of protest. A signature campaign will be launched by which they plan to collect one crore signatures of people from all walks of life, and hand it over to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

While Dakshina Karnataka Hitarakshana Horata Samithi has submitted a petition to the State Government requesting a review of the verdict, former corporator D. Venkatesha Murthy has organised an exhibition of caricatures at Shankarnag Circle, on Monday. The Karnataka Catholic Christians Kannada Association took out a procession in protest, carrying the cross.

The 515 Army Base Workshop Kannada Literature and Cultural Association, Karnataka State Government Employee's Association, Karnataka Human Rights Council, Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, Karnataka Rajya Samudaya Samanvaya Samiti, the Akhila Karnataka Mahamaddiyara Kannada Vedike and Adarsha Auto and Taxi Driver's Union have also extended their support to the protest and bandh call.

Kannada Chaluvali Samyukta Ranga has expressed its disapproval to the verdict by burning an effigy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. It came down heavily on the "irresponsible" statements made by Jnanpith award winning writer Girish Karnad.

Shantaveera Mahaswamygalu of Kolada Math Mahasamstana has expressed his unhappiness over the verdict and has termed it "unfair" and "unscientific". He has said that the matter can be resolved only through a peaceful dialogue between the two States.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka