Mahadayi issue: Vatal Nagaraj calls for Karnataka bandh on Jan 27

Bengaluru: Kannada Chaluvali leader Vatal Nagaraj, along with various other Kannada organizations and unions of farmers has called for Karnataka Bandh on January 27 demanding a permanent solution to the Mahadayi water dispute. On January 26, a day prior, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the state.

Seeking support from various organizations Vatal said, “The state wide bandh will start at 6am and will be held for 12 hours on January 27^th in order to constrain states to enable and implement the long pending Kalasa Banduri project”

Speaking to the media persons in a press conference on January 10, Vatal Nagaraj clarified that the bandh will be withdrawn if the prime minister comes up with a permanent solution prior to his scheduled visit to Karnataka on January 27 but warned of a massive protest all over Karnataka if failed to do so.

Earlier a similar protest was withdrawn in the month of December when the former Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yedyurappa assured the farmers and the organizations of resolving the Mahadayi dispute by hving talks with Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and BJP National Presidnet Amit Shah.

Consequently, the farmers are accusing the Karnataka BJP backing down its assurance. The proposed Bandh on January 27^th will be in coordination with pro-Kannada organisations and film industry along with the farmer unions.