Protests continued in Mandya for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, with farmers and pro-Kannada organisations urging the state government to stop release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
While activists of pro-Kannada organisations gathered at Sanjay Circle in Mandya town to voice their opposition to the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, representatives of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) staged a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office seeking a complete waiver of farm loans.
Police officials in Mandya said the “token protest” staged by activists of pro-Kannada organisations at Sanjay Circle against the release of water to Tamil Nadu did not disrupt the traffic on Mysuru-Bengaluru highway. “The protest was held for barely two minutes and traffic was not affected,” said a police official.
A few activists of pro-Kannada organisations also gathered at Pandavapura and blocked the Srirangapatna-Bidar highway for some time.
KRRS activists, led by MLA K.S. Puttannaiah, gathered in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office demanding waiver of agricultural loans obtained by farmers from nationalised banks as well. The state government had already waived loans obtained from co-operative banks.
KRRS too made out a case for halting the discharge of water from KRS Reservoir to Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, security remained tight at KRS amidst demands by pro-Kannada activists to halt release of water to Tamil Nadu.
