No permission for Karnataka bandh, prohibitory orders to be imposed in Bengaluru: police

“We have issued a notice to those who have announced the bandh,” Dayananda said. “We cannot also ignore the destruction of public and private property when a bundh is enforced by political parties or other organisations. We are inclined to the view that political parties and the organisations that call for such bandhs and enforce them are really liable to compensate the government, the public and citizens for the loss suffered by them for such destruction.”

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The police have deployed additional forces across the state, especially in south Karnataka, where the Cauvery river flows. “The security in Mysuru, Kodagu, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara and Bengaluru has been beefed up compared with north Karnataka,” a senior police officer said.

More than 1,900 pro-Kannada and other associations support the bandh call given by Kannada Okkuta, an umbrella organisation. Vatal Nagaraj, head of the organisation, said the shutdown would be observed from Belagavi or Bidar to Chamarajanagar and from Mangaluru to Kolar.

Bengaluru witnessed a bandh on Tuesday and it evoked mixed responses.

D Shashi Kumar, secretary of the Association of Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka, told The Indian Express that it had asked the district administration and local authorities to announce a decision on schools at the earliest. “But we have advised the schools to take a decision based on the situation in their locality,” he added.

Nagaraj said that his group had received support from all quarters and that the bandh would be observed in all districts, taluks and Bengaluru city. “The government is not caring for the people of Karnataka and they are releasing water. If water is released to Tamil Nadu, what will be the situation of farmers and the people of Bengaluru who depend on Cauvery water?” he said.

Nagaraj dismissed questions as to whether back to back bandhs are hurting businesses in Bengaluru and said the government needed to be pulled up for releasing water. “This fight is not for any caste, religion or any region. This is to protect the interests of Karnataka. Our plan is to hold a rally from Town Hall till Freedom Park. But the government will deploy additional police force to stop us and not to question the government’s stand. Whatever the police do, I am ready to go to jail and let us see what it takes for them to stop us,” he said.

Home Minister G Parameshwara said that stern action would be taken against those who take law into their hands.