Mahadayi protests throw normal life out of gear in Karnataka

A 12-hour shutdown called by pro-Kannada organisations to protest the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal's interim order rejecting the state's petition seeking 7.56 tmcft for drinking water projects today threw normal life out of gear in most parts of the state.
The dawn-to-dusk bandh evoked good response in north Karnataka, where the Mahadayi had been a burning issue for the last several months, with streets wearing almost a deserted look as business establishments remained closed and public transport kept off the roads.
For residents of Bengaluru, it was a day of hardship for the fifth consecutive day, as they suffered for the first three days with a transport strike and the next day had to brave flooding in various parts of the city, caused due to copious rainfall. The bandh only added to their woes.

Overcrowded and busy major bus stations, including Majestic and Shivajinagar wore a deserted look, putting commuters to hardship, while metro services were also shut.
Taking advantage of the commuters' plight some private vehicles fleeced them, demanding hefty fares.
Most business centres, work and market places also worea deserted look.

Banks, cinema halls and malls remained closed.
Educational institutes had declared a holiday in most parts of the state.
In the morning, the protestors, including personalities from the Kannada film industry launched a massive protest march from Town Hall Circle to Freedom park via Hudson Circle, KG Road and palace Road.

Noted film actors Shivaraj Kumar, Ramesh and Srinath took part in the protest as their vehicles wound through the over-crowded route all the way to Freedom Park.
Before launching the protest march, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce President Sa Ra Govindu urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and work for an out-of-the-court settlement by convening a meeting between Chief Ministers of the states at loggerheads.
Earlier, members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, who tried to enter the Raj Bhavan and later some other protestors also were detained for trying to ransack Namma Metro.