Cauvery row: Shivakumar seeks ‘new formula’, BJP lambasts Congress for ‘casual’ approach. 10 points

Farmer unions and pro-Kannada organisations have called for a Karnataka Bandh today after the Cauvery Water egulatory Committee (CWRC) ordered to release of 3,000 cusecs of water at Biligundlu to Tamil Nadu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023. In the earlier spell, it was 5,000 cusecs.

Though Karnataka approached the Supreme Court appealing against the direction of CWRC saying that it cannot release the water to Tamil Nadu because of poor rainfall this year, the court refused to intervene in the direction. Many protestors were seen raising slogans that the Cauvery River belongs to them.

The police said that more than 50 people from the organisations have been taken into custody to maintain law and order amid the Bandh call.

Here are top developments in the Cauvery water issue from today

-Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said on Friday that the state will ask the Cauvery Management Authority (CWMA) to devise a new formula for sharing river water with Tamil Nadu in a rainfall-deficient year. "After today's Cauvery Management Authority meeting, a decision will be made as to what the outline of the formula in the distress year to be." Shivakumar

-Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar maintained that there was no need for a bandh over Cauvery row as his government was protecting the interests of the State

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-The Police imposed section 144 in many areas, including Bengaluru Urban, Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Ramanagara, and Hassan. Schools and colleges in these districts were declared closed for the day.

-A total of 44 flights from Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport were cancelled.

-The Kannada film industry joined the bandh with actors Shivarajkumar, Darshan, 'Duniya' Vijay and Dhruva Sarja, producers, directors and technicians staging a sit-in demonstration.

-Amid ongoing protests that disrupted regular life, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya on Friday lambasted the Congress government for its "very casual" approach to the issue. “There is no coordination between the CM and the deputy CM. The state government is very casual in its approach. Are they trying to approach this issue in this duplicitous manner because it will help their INDI alliance partner, the DMK government for 2024?” he asked.

-Spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev chimed in on the Cauvery water sharing issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Sadhguru called for strengthening and enhancing Cauvery river rather than fighting over depleted waters.

-BJP's Amit Malviya took to X (formerly Twitter) to lash out at the CM Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka and said, "Cauvery water sharing has been handled in the most ham-handed manner, leading to widespread protests. Moral of the story: never vote the Congress, if you want peace and development."

-The Bengaluru Police detained hundreds of agitators who tried to block roads during the day-long shutdown. A total of 785 protesters were detained and taken into custody as a preventive measure. But they were all released later

-Tamil actor Siddharth had to take a mid-event exit while promoting his new film Chithha on Thursday, as pro-Kannada outfit members disrupted the event. On Friday, actor and politician Prakash Raj has extended an apology to him on behalf of ‘sahrudya’ (tender hearted) Kannadigas.