Protests ahead of CRA meeting

With the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) to meet on Wednesday to decide on the release of water to Tamil Nadu, protests in the Cauvery basin intensified.

While actor Ambarish joined the protests in Mandya, students, teachers and pro-Kannada and political organisations in Maddur, burned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s effigy and blocked traffic on the Bangalore-Mysore Highway and Malavalli Road. The protests even put preparations for Ganesh Chaturti on the backburner. 

Ambarish, who demanded that the CRA take a “judicious decision” in view of the severe drought in the state, urged it not to bow to pressure from the neighbouring state. Participating in a protest launched by Zilla Raitha Hitarakshana Samithi, Ambarish said the state and Union governments should take a responsible decision as the farmers, whose crops have been destroyed, are in distress.

In spite of this, the state had released 9,500 cusecs to Tamil Nadu, he said and added that the dispute can be resolved only through talks and not in the courts.

Protesting Tamil Nadu’s demand for water, hundreds of students and teachers of M H Channegowda Educational Institutions, H K Veeranna Gowda College, Jawahar and Kamala Nehru High Schools and Kasturba School took out a huge procession from their schools, which culminated at the taluk office. They submitted a memorandum to tahsildar M K Savitha Srinivas.

The protesters raised slogans against Jayalalithaa while Kasturi Kannada HDK Fans Association activists burned Jayalalithaa’s effigy after taking out a procession. Women activists of Kasturi Kannada Janapara Vedike demonstrated with empty pots in Maddur and submitted a memorandum to the tahsildar.