Cauvery water row: Bengaluru schools, offices open amid bandh call

Despite a call for a statewide bandh, normal life continued in Bengaluru on Thursday. Schools, colleges, and offices remained open, and public and private vehicles navigated the city. The Karnataka Assembly’s monsoon session was set to commence on a day when security was heightened by the city police. Pro-Kannada groups, led by veteran Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, had called for the bandh in response to the Cauvery Water Management Authority's (CWMA) directive.

The CWMA ordered Karnataka to release 4.5 TMC and later 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily for 15 days. Despite the fluid situation, transporters, hoteliers, taxi drivers, and industry groups chose not to support the protest. The Bengaluru city police emphasized that any act involving violence or obstruction of road traffic would be dealt with firmly according to the law.

Karnataka CM D K Shivakumar urged people to remain restrained, stating the government was committed to protecting farmers. The dispute revolves around the CWMA rulings during drought years, with political parties in both states advocating for Prime Minister intervention to create a dispute-redressal mechanism in distress years.