With schools, offices, shops and hotels open as usual and transport services unaffected, most parts of Karnataka — particularly Bengaluru — remained unaffected by the Statewide bandh call given by the Kannada Okkoota on Monday.
The response to the bandh call was similar in most parts of the State, with almost all of Old Mysuru region and north Karnataka not downing shutters.
However, with the principal demand being the implementation of various irrigation schemes, the water-starved Kolar and Chickballapur regions, which have been demanding implementation of the Yettinahole project, saw good response. Gadag and parts of Hubballi district, which has seen an uninterrupted struggle over Mahadayi waters, also saw good response.
Highway blocked
In the epicentre of the Mahadayi agitation — Naragund and Navalgund towns — the bandh was total and life came to a standstill. Protesters blocked National Highway 218, which passes through Navalgund.
In Bengaluru, 70 persons, including Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj, were detained by the police when they tried to march towards the Vidhana Soudha from Town Hall. The Kannada Rakshana Vedike faction led by Praveen Shetty was also detained.
A total of 75 platoons of Karnataka Special Reserve Police and quick response team, along with 16,000 police personnel, were deployed in strategic locations to monitor the law and order situation.
Though many organisations supported the cause, they desisted from participating in the bandh the actively. In fact, some groups within the Okkoota — particularly the Kannada Rakshana Vedike faction led by Narayana Gowda — were conspicuous by their absence in the protests.
An unexpected feast
The bandh had an effect on weddings in Kolar. With food prepared for many and a number of people unable to make it to a ceremony at Narayani Convention Hall here, activists supporting the bandh were invited in for lunch.
