Voices of dissent against call for Statewide bandh

Though Kannada Okkoota has announced it, another group demurs

There is uncertainty over the proposed bandh over the Mahadayi water row on January 25. It has been called by the Kannada Okkoota, led by Vatal Nagaraj, with yet another group opposing it.

An umbrella group, Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkoota (KSO), on Monday, opposed the Karnataka bandh call. The BJP too, meanwhile, has called the February 4 protest as a “Congress sponsored”, which is on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the city.

Mr. Nagaraj, meanwhile, has said that his intention is protecting the state’s interest alone and nobody should indulge in politics over it.

He reiterated that the bandh will be held as per schedule.

Speaking to presspersons here on Monday, KSO president H.B Nagesh said, “We oppose the bandh as it would affect the livelihood of a large number of daily wage workers and also cause hardship to the general public.” They also opposed what they called the “unilateral decision” taken by Mr. Nagaraj.

‘We support him’

“However, we have respect for Mr. Vatal Nagaraj, and we support his campaign to resolve the inter-State row over sharing of Mahadayi waters and construction of a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery in Mekedatu. We also support him in staging a protest in front of the Chief Minister’s residence and the BJP office in this regard,” Mr. Nagesh said.

He added that they would support Mr. Nagaraj’s plan of holding a protest on February 4. However, he appealed to Mr. Nagaraj to stop what he called the “bandh culture”.

He claimed the support of over 200 Kannada organisations, to oppose the bandh.

Speaking in Hubballi, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar and Member of Parliament and former State president of BJP, Pralhad Joshi, termed the proposed protests as “Congress sponsored”.