Lagatar24 Desk
Bengaluru, Sept 29: The ‘Kannada Okkoota’s’ appeal for a bandh in Karnataka to protest the release of water to Tamil Nadu was well-received in Bengaluru and other southern areas of the state on Friday, interrupting daily life.
In the districts of Bengaluru Urban, Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Ramanagara and Hassan, prohibitory orders have been enacted under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and a holiday has been announced for the local schools and colleges.
The statewide bandh resulted in up to 44 flights being cancelled at Bengaluru International Airport on Friday.
The umbrella organisation ‘Kannada Okkoota’ represents farmers’ and Kannada organisations. There was a bandh in Bengaluru for the same reason on Tuesday.
In parts of the Cauvery basin like Mandya in the southern portion of the state, the majority of stores, businesses and restaurants have taken down their shutters. Additionally, private vehicles were not operating on the roads in these areas.
In the southern areas, the state-owned transport companies ran a small number of buses out of fear of backlash.
The statewide shutdown received a varied response in other parts of the State.
In the district headquarters town of Chitradurga, protesters burnt a portrait of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on fire.
The bandh has received support from the Kannada film industry.
The Karnataka Film Exhibitors Association is supporting the bandh, and theatres all around the State have cancelled shows until the evening.
A significant number of information technology companies and other businesses in Bengaluru have instructed their employees to work from home.
Important market areas in Bengaluru, such Chikpet, Balepet and surrounding commercial areas were desolate.
The Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union and the Ola Uber Drivers and Owners Associations have also expressed their solidarity with the strike.
