No bandh in Kodagu, but most parts of state shut down; poor response in coastal, N. K’taka

BENGALURU: The Karnataka bandh, called by Kannada group and farmers’ associations to protest against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, evoked good response in many parts of the state, barring a few districts.

Protests were also held across many places across the state and commercial establishments remained closed. But surprisingly, there was no shutdown in Kodagu district, the birthplace of the river Cauvery.

A torchlight procession was taken out in Siddlaghatta.

In Chikkaballapur and Siddlaghatta, there was a voluntary bandh though no organisation had extended support. As a result, trading at the flower was affected and farmers were forced to dump their produce in the drains. Activists of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) took out a torchlight march through the main roads of Sidlaghatta raising slogans.

Doddaballapur too had completely shut down and a bike rally was held. They also performed a mock final rites of Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin.

Farmers took out a bike rally at Kabini dam and (right) the temple town of Nanjangud wore a deserted look.

In Tumakuru, a protest was held and slogans were raised against the Tamil Nadu government and a mock funeral procession of Stalin was taken out. The activists also staged a protest in front of MP G S Basavaraju’s residence in Gandhi Nagar. All commercial establishments remained closed and roads wore a deserted look.

The bandh call also received huge response in Kolar. Some Kannada activists were detained when they tried to lay siege to the bus stand. All businesses in Ramanagara too were shut, including the APMC, vegetable and fruit markets.

Activists set fire to effigies and posters in Mandya and Chitradurga.

In Kanakapura, the hometown of Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, Kannada activists staged a half-naked protest and raised slogans against the Congress government in Karnataka.

Chamarajanagar too observed a complete bandh and rallies were taken out through the major roads. Bus services to neighbouring Tamil Nadu were also suspended.

A bike rally was taken out in Chikkamagalur; (right) All shops were closed in Hassan.

In Chikkamagalur, businesses and public transport like autos were asked to shut down while BJP members took out a protest rally. Davanagere was also completely shut down and bus services were suspended. Hassan, Sakleshpur, Belur, Mysuru, also saw complete shutdown.

Normal life was unaffected in Chitradurga with commercial establishments remaining open and public transport available.

There was no response to the bandh call in Bagalkot and Chikkodi.

There was lukewarm response in the border district of Bidar with normal life continuing as usual, except for protest by KRV activists. In Bagalkot too, life was unaffected.

In Bijapur, activists staged a protest and submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner. Kannada activists staged a protest in Belagavi and the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VU) and Rani Chennamma University put off their exams. While Chikkodi observed a bandh, in Athani, only a protest rally was taken out.

Vijayapura also remained largely unaffected.

There was no response to the bandh call in the Ballari too and even police personnel were not posted along the main roads. Only a symbolic protest was held by Kannada activists. Udupi and Dharwad also remained unaffected.

Protests were held in Gadag, Kalaburagi, Hubballi, Haveri, Bhatkal, Kushalnagar, Madikeri, Mandya, Raichur, Shivamogga among other places.