RailEnquiry

In the backdrop of the Supreme Court directive to Karnataka government to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, various pro-Karnataka organisations took out protest rallies, stopped trains moving towards Tamil Nadu, and tried to lay seize to the Raj Bhavan and chief minister’s residence.On Saturday, a wave of protests was launched across Karnataka. Protesters came on roads in large numbers, and tried to stop Tamil Nadu-bound trains.Over 100 protesters of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike of Narayana Gowda faction stopped trains heading towards Tamil Nadu from City Railway station around 8.30 am for more than 15 minutes. Police managed to control the protesters and the trains were allowed to go, but at around12.30 pm the protesters again stopped some trains for sometime.“We have told the government not to release water to Tamil Nadu. We also conducted meeting with chief minister Jagadish Shettar and asked him to meet the central government. He assured us of calling a meeting with ministers and go to Delhi and meet the prime minister,” said KRV president, Narayana Gowda.“Our protesters also took out a torch light procession, and tried to lay seize the chief minister’s house ‘Krishna’,” he added. Sadashivanagar police arrested more than 20 protesters of KRV from Krishna. The other team of the KRV took out a procession from Town Hall to lay seize the Raj Bhavan, but the police foiled the attempt near Mysore Bank circle. Around 30 protesters were arrested by Cubbon Park police.“Not only KRV, Cauvery Rakshana Samithi and other organisations all together are unite and we are demanding not to release water to Tamil Nadu,” Gowda said.Another faction of KRV led by Praveen Shetty stopped trains in Mysore and Mandya. “We will lay seize to Raj Bhavan on October 1, so our faction did not protest much on Saturday, as police may not release us for October 1 and October 6 which is called for Karnataka bandh,” said Praveen Shetty.The other organisations joined protest in Bangalore on Saturday were Cauvery Rakshana Samithi, Kasturi Kannada Janapara Vedike, Akila Karnataka Hindulida Vargagala Hitha Rakshana Samithi and Jai Karnataka.The protesters said, the state government has failed to convey the situation in the state to the central government as well as the SC, so they will have to convey the situation and stick to decision that they will not release the water.The huge number of police deployed at Mysore Bank circle stopped the protesters and Upparpet police arrested 20 protesters when they started arguing with them to leave to lay seize the Raj Bhavan. The protesters warned state government if it fails to convey the problem to central government, the protests across the state may turn violent.JD(S) workers also staged protest against the state government and central government. They took out processions in Banashankari and Madivala.Vatal Nagaraj conducted a press meet, and said, “The state government should file a petition to reconsider the decision by explaining the situation in Karnataka, We have called for Karnataka Bandh on October 6, if the decision is not reconsidered we will protest further as well.”