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Latest updates: BJP chief Amit Shah concluded his speech with chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. He said that the Siddaramaiah government was afraid of giving the people of Karnataka benefits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schemes. He told the people to vote for BJP to get the full benefits of the work done by the central government. He also raised the issue of the political killings in Karnataka. He said the next BJP government will see to it that all the BJP, RSS workers who have died get justice. Low response was recorded to the bandh in Bagalkot district in northern Karnataka. Chikkamagalur MLA CT Ravi tweeted that the “Siddaramaiah-sponsored” bandh is a plot to stop BJP from dethroning ‘Tughlaq’. Goa has suspended bus services to Karnataka as state reels under protest over the Mahadayi water sharing issue, reported News18. Meanwhile, a group of protesters are moving to Freedom Park, where they will be talking to authorities to seek resolution of the issue. Wading into the Mahadayi river row, actor Prakash Raj says “we Kannadigas” have a right to the water. The issue has taken over the political discourse in Karnataka, with pro-Kannada outfits staging a state-wide bandh against the Centre’s “inaction” over the river sharing dispute with Goa. The dawn-to-dusk bandh coincides with BJP’s chief Amit Shah’s visit to Mysuru for a public meeting. Vatal Nagaraj will begin the 2-kilometre procession from Bengaluru’s Town Hall soon. Karnataka Bandh called on Thursday effective mostly in Bengaluru and Mysuru. Reports from north Karnataka districts of Hubbali, Dharwad, Belgavi, Bidar and Bijapur suggest an ineffective bandh in these regions, as businesses remain open and daily affairs go on normally. Protests across the state and Bengaluru were more or less peaceful until 10 this morning, when various pro-Kannada organisations came out in support of the 12-hour bandh. Several banks in Mysuru, including State Bank of India and the Mysore Merchants Co-Op Bank Limited, declared holiday as protests in Mysuru gathered steam. Several protesters burnt tyres near Majestic in Bengaluru where activists also roughed up an effigy of the Goa water minister. Manjula Jayaraj Naidu, KRV’s District president for Nelemangala, says the central government does not have Karnataka’s interests at heart and is instead with Goa. Shopkeepers in Bengaluru said that the cadres of Karnataka Rakshana Vedhike will come soon to shut things down and till then they will keep the shops open. A small squad of police were deployed near the area who said they will ensure peace but will not interfere with the forced closures. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday, film producer Sa Ra Govindu demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should intervene in the Mahadayi river water sharing row and direct the Goa government to share water with Karnataka. With BJP chief Amit Shah set to speak in Mysuru amid the 12-hour bandh, 30 Karnataka state police personnel and 30 Railway Protection Forces personnel have been deployed for security at the Mysore railway station. Sub inspector Santhosh PG tells Firstpost that over 500 police officers have been deployed just at Town Hall in Bengaluru, which is expected to be one of the epicenters of the protest. A procession is expected to be flagged off here and will end in Freedom Park which is two kilometres away. Wipro and Accenture have declared holiday for their employees in Karnataka in view of the statewide bandh that has called today. In an official statement, Wipro said, “On account of the shutdown called by various organizations, as a precautionary measure, Wipro Limited has declared holiday for employees in Karnataka today. Business Continuity Plans have been invoked to avoid disruption to mission critical project.” While BS Yeddyurappa has been blaming Siddaramaiah for instigating the bandh, the Karnataka chief minister has called dismissed the charge as “baseless”. While stating that neither Congress, nor the government, has anything to do with the bandh, he claimed that he has earlier asked BJP to request Kannada organisations against organising the bandh. Rahul Gandhi will kick start his campaign for the coming Assembly polls on 10 February. During his three-day visit, the first after being made All India Congress Committee chief, he will address a mega conference and conduct a road show. Stating that party workers are being informed about the bandh, Yeddyurappa said BJP was not calling for a state-wide bandh, but for a bandh in those districts on the day Rahul Gandhi would visit them. “It is to show to Siddaramaiah who is playing politics, that we also know how to play politics as a national party.It is also with an intention to resolve the Mahadayi river water dispute. We are still ready to put in our efforts towards finding resolution, but it is Siddaramaiah who is causing obstruction to it,” he added. In a tit-for-tat move to the bandh call during BJP President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits to Karnataka, the party’s state unit on Wednesday decided to observe district-specific shutdown during Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s state tour. BJP has termed as “politically motivated” a call for a Karnataka bandh on Thursday and Bengaluru bandh on 4 February by pro-Kannada outfits demanding the prime minister’s mediation in the inter-state Mahadayi river water dispute with Goa. The BJP has alleged government’s role in the selection of dates when Shah and Modi are expected to visit the poll bound state to take part in ‘Nava Karnataka Parivartana Yatre’, organised by the state unit. Pro-Kannada outfits have called for a Karnataka bandh on Thursday when Shah will address a rally in Mysuru and a Bengaluru bandh on 4 February, the day Modi arrives to address a rally. “We have decided that when Rahul Gandhi comes to Karnataka,we will call for a complete bandh in those districts he will be visiting,” BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa said. Speaking to reporters in Madikeri, he said the intention was to seek a clarification from Rahul Gandhi about his stand on releasing Mahadayi river water. Rejecting BJP’s charges that the bandhs were instigated by the ruling Congress, Siddaramaiah has termed it as baseless. Stating that neither Congress, nor the government, has anything to do with the bandh, he had earlier asked BJP to request Kannada organisations against organising the bandh. Yeddyurappa alleged that Siddaramaiah was indulging in this kind of act purposefully with an intention that Shah’s programme should not succeed. “But the programme will go on as planned,” he said. Questioning the silence of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi on the issue, he alleged that Siddaramaiah too has not done anything to convince Goa Congress on the matter. “Purposefully, a conspiracy has been hatched to project BJP as guilty.I want clarification from the Chief Minister… what is the stand of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi? What is your (CM) stand? Why you have not made efforts to convince the Opposition Congress in Goa?” he asked. Karnataka, which has locked horns with neighbouring Goa on sharing Mahadayi River water, is seeking release of 7.56 tmcft water for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project. The project is being undertaken to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and districts of Belagavi and Gadag. Attempts by Karnataka to amicably solve the issue pending before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal through discussion has failed to bear fruit. Repeated efforts by the state seeking the prime minister’s intervention to solve the issue has also not been successful.
Karnataka bandh updates: Metro resumes operation in Bengaluru, life limps back to normal as 12-hour deadline nears end
Pro-Kannada outfits have called for a Karnataka bandh on Thursday when BJP chief Amit Shah will address a rally in Mysuru.
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Namma Metro resumes operation in Bengaluru
Input by Mahesh bacham/ Team101 reporters
Karnataka Congress president says Amit Shah lied about RSS workers killing in rally
Goa sets up 4 member panel to monitor water diversion from Mahadayi
The Goa government has set up a committee to monitor any activity in Maharashtra or Karnataka to divert the Mahadayi river water amidst a growing dispute over resource sharing between the two states.
The committee will comprise four officers from the state water resources department and jas orders to report any construction activity envisaged or started by Karnataka or Maharashtra in the Mahadayi basin.
The riparian states of the Mahadayi (known as Mandovi in Goa), have been locked in a bitter battle over the sharing of the water of the river, which originates in Belagavi in Karnataka. The matter is pending before the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal.
PTI
These youngsters from city colleges in Mysore were not sure why they were attending a Amit Shah rally and when asked who would they be supporting in this year’s elections, they said they did not know as they had not voted before.
Input by Nivedita Niranjankumar, 101Reporters
Karnataka schools, colleges to compensate for academic loss in Feb
“Schools, colleges that will be remain closed due to bandh, called by pro-Kannada groups and farmers to demand a solution to the Mahadayi water sharing dispute, will have to compensate by working full day on 3 or 10 February, both Saturdays,” The Statesman reported.
The report further said that the administration has said that if the schools or colleges are not able to compensate for the loss of studies, they may remain open on subsequent Sundays too, since exams are closing in.
Protests in Bijapur in Karnataka over Mahadayi river dispute
Around 25 people gathered at Gandhi Chowk in Bijapur on Thursday as part of the state-wide bandh called by several pro-Kannada outfits, demanding the Centre’s intervention in the inter-state Mahadayi river water dispute with Goa. The protesters were taken to the police station and later released.
Input by Tamanna Naseer from Bijapur, 101Reporters
Karnataka opens up Mahadayi tributary, flow yet to resume towards Goa
Amid a raging resource-sharing dispute between Maharashtra and Goa, The Times of India reported that Karnataka, which had earlier blocked the water from a tributary of Mahadayi river to flow into Goa, has now removed the mud embankment.
Goa had taken objection to the news reports revealing that Karnataka had resumed work on the Kalsa canal in Kankumbi despite a Supreme Court order, in which the court had ordered Karnataka to stop the work on the construction of the canal, which was aimed at diverting water from the Mahadayi tributary.
Karnataka shutdown hits India’s tech hub: IT giants suspend operations
According to a report in The News Minute , IT majors Infosys, Wipro and other multinational firms had to suspend their operations for the day, in view of the Karnataka Bandh.
“Localities like Whitefield, a suburb in the northeastern part of the city, and Manyata Tech Park in the northern part, housing several global IT giants like Microsoft, IBM and Cognizant, have also suspended their operations for the day,” the report read.
Siddaramaiah writes to PM Modi to confer the title of ‘Bharat Ratna’ on Sri Sri Sri Sivakumara Swamigalu
Meanwhile… few women in the crowd claim they were brought from Kumarkopa by BJP workers to sit in crowd
Input by Nivedita Niranjankumar, 101Reporters
Amit Shah concludes rally with chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’
Amit Shah’s speech was the usual mix of praise for Narendra Modi, an appeal to uproot the Siddaramaiah government, and vote for the BJP.
In his speech that lasted a little over 30 miutes, Shah said that the Siddaramaiah government was afraid of giving the people of Karnataka benefits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schemes. He told the people to vote for BJP to get the full benefits of the work done by the central government. He also raised the issue of the political killings in Karnataka. He said the next BJP government will bring the killers of BJP, RSS workers to justice.
Amit Shah talks about triple talaq bill in Mysuru
Amit Shah repeats his Chitradurga speech
Amit Shah repeats the speech he made in Chritradurga where he made a two point allegation against Congress and accused them of being corrupt and irresponsible.
Nivedita Niranjankumar, 101Reporters
Corruption is equal to Siddaramaiah, says Shah
“Siddaramaiah is equal to corruption and corruption is equal to Siddaramaiah. Do anyone of you here have a watch worth Rs 70 lakh on your wrist here? Your chief minister wears watches worth Rs 70 lakh,” says Amit Shah.
Siddaramaiah government non responsive in probing killings of BJP workers
Amit Shah touched upon the issues that have been a point of struggle all this while between the two parties. “The Siddaramaiah government has been non responsive to the killings of 22 workers of the BJP and the RSS in the state. This is complete failure on their part,” he said
Amit Shah congratulates Yeddyurappa on successfully organising Parivartane Yatre
“Starting from 2 November, the Parivartan Yatra has travelled across 224 constituencies covering 8000 kilometres so far. So, I congratulate Yedyyurappa because no one has organised such a massive campaign for the movement in Karnataka ever.”
Congress wants to disrupt Modi’s rally too, says Shah
“The Parivartan Yatra that started from Bangalore on 4 November and will end in Bangalore on 4 February has instilled fear in the hearts of the Congress workers. I challenge the chief minister of this state that use all your might, but you won’t be able to stop the BJP from forming government in Karnataka”
Congress hasn’t forgotten its Emergency mindset, says Shah
“Congress today behaved like it did during emergency by deploying police to hold off supporters, clamping down on transport services and by organising this bandh,” say Amit Shah
Input by Nivedita Niranjankumar, 101Reporters
Amit Shah is speaking in the rally
“Despite desperate attempt to disrupt the rally, we have managed to hold it and been successful at it,” says Amit Shah.
Nivedita Niranjankumar, 101 Reporters
WATCH: Amit Shah speaking at the Parivartana rally in Mysuru
BJP walking into a trap on Mahadayi issue
‘Knowingly or unknowingly the BJP, which is at the receiving end of the agitating people in Karnataka, has walked into a trap by terming Mahadayi water sharing row a “north Karnataka issue.” says an opinion piece by News18’s DP Satish.
BJP National president Amit Shah has reached the Mysuru ground
Nivedita Niranjankumar, 101 Reporters
Crowd seems to becoming impatient
Senior BJP leaders are persistently asking crowds to not leave the grounds till the program is over.
Nivedita Niranjankumar, 101Reporters
BJP leaders slam Congress for calling bandh
Senior BJP leaders accuse Siddaramaiah government of misusing government machinery to come in way of their campaigning and declaring a bandh on days when their senior leaders are visiting.
Nivedita, 101 Reporters
BJP leader R Ashok alleges Congress govt not allowing buses to ply
R Ashok, former deputy chief minister says that he got calls from many state depot managers who alleged that they had been asked to not run buses on Thursday and to send drivers home. “This is how low Siddaramaiah has fallen. But the people have turned up to show that they don’t want Siddaramaiah as chief minister anymore…”
Nivedita, 101 Reporters
Amit Shah to reach shortly
Nearly 12-14,000 people gather at Maharaja College Grounds in Mysuru, where BJP national president Amit Shah is set to speak in sometime. Meanwhile, former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa reaches Maharaja College Grounds.
Nivedita, 101 Reporters
BJP president Amit Shah will be holding a rally in Mysuru today
Taj group adds Karnataka state flag amid other flags, tweets senior journalist
Chikkamagalur MLA CT Ravi says bandh not in interest of the state
Low response to bandh in Bagalkot
The Hindu reports that there was a low response to the bandh in Bagalkot district, except in Badami taluk. In Bagalkot city, it was business as usual and education institutions were open.
WATCH: Pro-Kannada outfits protest outside townhall in Bengaluru
RECAP: Goa CM skips Mahadayi river dispute awareness programme
On 22 January, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and majority of MLAs today skipped an event organised by the state secretariat to create awareness about the Mahadayi river water sharing dispute. The programme was organised at the secretariat in Porvorim, which was attended by only six out of the total 40 MLAs, reported PTI.
Goa suspends bus services to Karnataka
The Goa government-run Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) has suspended its bus services to Karnataka on Thursday owing to the bandh called in the neighbouring state over the Mahadayi River water dispute, News18 reported. In another development, the Goa government has set up a four-member committee to monitor any possible activity in Maharashtra or Karnataka to divert the river water. Several pro-Kannada outfits have called for the statewide dawn-to-dusk bandh today in Karnataka, demanding the prime minister’s intervention in the inter-state Mahadayi river water dispute with Goa.
Video: Protest and sloganeering continues in Karnataka
Ayswarya Murthy, 101 Reporters
Protesters move to Freedom Park
The protest convoy sets off for Freedom Park. They are expected to meet state government officials today to press upon them the need to resolve the Mahadayi issue immediately.
Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
Goa govt should share Mahadayi like we share Cauvery with Tamil Nadu, say activists
“We have gathered here to fight for the people of Uttara Karnataka who should get Mahadayi water. Goa government says tourism will be affected if they give water to us. Let them understand that farmers are suffering here and they need drinking water. Like we give Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, let the Goa government agree to give us water,” Gurupreet, one of the Karunada Sevakaru group members told Firstpost.
Ayswarya Murthy, 101Reporters
The procession convoy starts its 2 km journey with Vatal Nagaraj at the thick of it
Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
Prakash Raj in a video says ‘We have right over water that flows past Kalasa Banduri’
“On the Mahadayi water dispute issue, first of all, all the political parties must stop politicising it. We have a right over the water that flows past Kalasa Banduri… In a democracy, once a political party comes to power, it is no longer just a political party, but a party that is duty-bound to work for the people it represents… Any party that keeps saying — our party is ruling at the Centre or in some neighbouring state — so we will bring water on the basis of this, through political means — is telling a blatant lie. This is a pro-people agitation — please don’t do politics over ‘people’s fundamental rights. Let us all be with the people —I’m with the people in this agitation. My request to all parties — please leave your political ideologies aside, put aside these attempts to beg for votes, we must come together and stand together to put pressure for our rightful share in the water this is not a problem that cannot be solved if we are united — let’s agitate and ensure our rights are given to us.”
Breaking News: Inter-city bus services will start only after 4.30 pm
Flybus, KSRTC’s inter-city bus service from Karnataka International Airport to other cities like Mangalore, Madikeri and Salem will start only after 4.30pm.
Bangalore University postpones exams
Bangalore University has postponed the examination for its various UG and PG students, mostly enrolled in distance education courses.
“In view of Karnataka Bundh, I Year / III Year BA / BSc / B Com / BBM (DCC/One Time Measure), II year MA / MCom (DCC), and PG DBA / DHRM / DMM / DHA (Regular/DCC) etc, Examinations of January/February 2018 which are scheduled to be held on 25.01.208 have been RESCHEDULED” The notification also stated that there is no change in the time, venue and other dates of the examinations.
The official circular by Bangalore University can be accessed here