CHAMARAJANAGAR: A peaceful and total bandh was observed in Chamarajanagar on Monday to protest the award by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. As many as a thousand activists of pro-Kannada organisations took to the streets to protest the verdict. Processions led by Chamarajanagar MP

M. Shivanna, district Congress president Guruswamy, the former Santhemaralli MLA A.R. Krishnamurthy, started from Travellers' Bungalow here before culminating at Bhuvaneshwari Circle.

The protesters staged a dharna at Bhuvaneshwari Circle for about an hour and blocked National Highway 209. The Mysore Mineral Ltd. employees burnt the effigy of the Cauvery tribunal.

Some political leaders held the Karnataka flag and wore black clothes to show their dissatisfaction with the tribunal's verdict.

Centre criticised

They raised the slogan against the tribunal members and the Union Government.

The protesters criticised the Tamil Nadu Government for lobbying with the Union Government to get the verdict in their favour.

Holding empty pots, protesters raised slogan. A group of miscreants threw stones at four petrol stations that were functioning.

They threw stones at the notice board of Central Regional Sericulture Research unit here. Addressing the protesters, Chamarajanagar MP, Shivanna ,said he would protest the tribunal award during the Parliament session.

He said MPs from Karnataka would react to the verdict in Parliament in accordance with the decision taken during the all-party meeting to be held on February 15 under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Kumaraswamy.

Mr. Krishna Murthy urged MLAs and MPs to submit their resignation in protest against the tribunal verdict. He said the verdict would hinder implementation of the Kabini Second Stage Lift Irrigation project.District president of KRRS, Mr.Mahesh prabhu said the unscientific verdict would ruin the life of Karnataka's farmers. He said though the Cauvery agitations had entered the seventh day, the Union Government had not responded to protesters in the State.

He said the need of the hour was to continue the agitations in peaceful manner to put a pressure on union Government till the justice was obtained. He criticised the Cauvery tribunal for their role played as an agent of Tamil Nadu and Union Government.

All business establishments, hotels, commercial institutions, schools, colleges and cinema theatres, were closed.

The KSRTC and private bus transportation has cancelled services to rural areas of the district.

The inter-State bus services to Tamil Nadu was stopped as a precautionary measure. The district police made security arrangements in the district.

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