Cauvery dispute: Bengaluru bandh hits normal life as shops shut, vehicle movement restricted

The Bengaluru bandh called by farmers and Kannada organisations on Tuesday and backed by the BJP and JD(S) in protest against the release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu has impacted the normal functioning in the city.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that prohibitory orders under Section 144 are in place across the city from midnight on Monday to midnight on Tuesday in the wake of the bandh.

Several Bengaluru residents and travellers shared the situation on account of the Bandh declared in the city. "People are struggling due to the strike. Several IT industries are there, so all the people who are working there are facing problems," a passenger travelling from Hosur in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu to Bengaluru in Karnataka told news agency ANI.

Bus services from Tamil Nadu towards Karnataka were disrupted amid a 'bandh' called in Bengaluru. Meanwhile, farmers' organisation held protests on Cauvery water sharing issue in Freedom Park, Bengaluru.  

A user on X (formerly Twitter) also shared images of the quite Bengaluru streets, and wrote, "#BengaluruBandh No vehicle movement on road. No shops are open."

Meanwhile, accusing opposition BJP and JD(S) of politicising the Cauvery row, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday rejected allegations that his government has failed on the issue, and said his administration has never lagged behind in protecting the interests of the state, its people and farmers.

He reiterated the importance of the distress water sharing formula and the construction of a Mekedatu balancing reservoir across Cauvery river as the resolution for the dispute with neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

"It is most unfortunate that BJP and JD(S) are potlicising the Cauvery issue. They are doing it for the sake of politics and not in the interest of the state or its people," Siddaramaiah said, as per PTI.

Also Read: Cauvery water dispute: Bengaluru observes complete shut down today; schools shut, Ola, Uber services to ply normally