Cauvery issue: Bandh in Tamil Nadu Delta districts today against Karnataka for not releasing water

Political parties, such as the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allies, including the Congress, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Left parties as well as farmers’ associations and traders’ unions, have extended their support to the bandh.

All the shops and hotels have been closed in these districts and markets supplying essential commodities have also been shut. As the state lorry owners federation have also extended their support, several trucks have remained unmoved across the districts.

VIDEO | More than 40,000 shops are closed in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur district today as a sign of protest over Cauvery water dispute today. The full blockade protest is being held on behalf of the Cauvery Basin Protection Coalition against the Karnataka government for refusing to… pic.twitter.com/9o9EFbBFwi

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State buses and private vans continued to operate to facilitate the public. According to sources, the protestors are also planning to organise agitation in front of the Union government offices in the district for not exerting more pressure on Karnataka to release the water.

Ashish Rawat, Superintendent of Police, Thanjavur, told indianexpress.com that they have deployed ample security to ensure no untoward incidents.

“Shopkeepers, if they voluntarily want to be involved in bandh, they can, but no one would be allowed to ask them to close their shutters. People have the right to organise demonstrations, so we cannot say we won’t allow that, but if someone is found indulging in any untoward act affecting public peace, then we will initiate action as per the law,” he said.

Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu (traders’ federation) president AM Vikrama Raja said they are supporting the bandh as they believe the farmers in the Delta region will be hugely affected if there is insufficient water for cultivation.

“A total of 1,25,000 shops are closed across Tamil Nadu today. Several crores of businesses are affected, the state’s GST will take a hit and the daily wage labourers’ will also suffer today, but still, we are conducting this bandh to express our solidarity with the farmers. There is no factory or other source in the delta region; the farmers depend upon agriculture for their livelihood and will suffer if they do not receive the required amount of Cauvery water, he said.