Kannada activists in Karnataka withdraw a planned state-wide bandh tied to the Cauvery water-sharing dispute after meeting Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The shutdown, originally intended to disrupt normal services across Karnataka, is called off following the meeting.
The protests were aimed at issues linked to Cauvery water allocation, including demands for steps to secure Karnataka’s water needs and support for the Mekedatu project. The dispute remains a recurring flashpoint, with farmers’ groups and Kannada organisations periodically staging demonstrations. According to reports, further protest activity had been discussed across the state, including at toll plazas and on highways.
The change comes as Karnataka’s legislative assembly begins its new session, a period when political negotiations and public messaging are closely watched. While the exact commitments made in the meeting are not detailed in the available accounts, both outlets present the withdrawal of the bandh as the immediate outcome of the activists’ engagement with the chief minister.
