Cauvery crisis: Cong extends support to bandh

The bandh was called by farmers and traders association

The Karnataka unit of the Congress today extended support to a day-long bandh in Tamil Nadu called by farmers and traders association tomorrow on the Cauvery water row.

Vegetable and milk vendors will also join the bandh, members of respective organisations said.

Newly appointed TNCC President Su Thirunavukkarasar announced the party's support to the bandh.

"I request the party functionaries and workers to participate in the bandh," he said in a statement and urged the people of the state to extend full cooperation to make it a success.

Further, vegetable vendors across the state, including those here, will down shutters to extend support to the bandh.

V R Sounderrajan, Advisor, All Wholesale Traders' Association at the Koyambedu market in Chennai, said thousands of vegetable vendors and related workers would participate in the bandh by keeping off work.

Similarly, milk vendors would also participate in the bandh, Tamil Nadu Milk Agents Welfare Association Founder and President, S A Ponnusamy said.

"Since over 75 lakh retail vendors and 1.5 lakh agents will be participating in the bandh, there will be a 50-60 per cent shortage in supply of milk," he said.

Though the bandh was proposed to be from dawn to dusk, vendors and agents will participate in the protest only between 9 AM and 5 PM by closing distribution centres and retail outlets, keeping in view the requirements of children, senior citizens and patients, he added.

Political outfits such as Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi, Makkal Desiya Katchi and DMK-affiliated trade union, Labour Progressive Force (LPF), also extended support for tomorrow's bandh.

The bandh had been called by farmers' and traders' bodies to protest against the violence targeting Tamils in Karnataka and seek a long-term solution to the water sharing issue.

DMK, MDMK, PMK, CPI(M), CPI and many others had extended support to the bandh and lakhs of commercial establishments, including fuel outlets are scheduled to close shop on Friday while private transport such as lorries are slated to keep off the road.