Following the Supreme Court’s directive that Karnataka and Tamil Nadu cannot allow bandhs in protest of a court order, the Tamil Nadu government clamped down on protests by the opposition parties across the state on Friday.
A number of political leaders were detained for participating in the bandh.
Ahead of the DMK protest at Anna Salai, Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly MK Stalin was detained.
Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi also courted arrest.
Ahead of her detention, Kanimozhi said that the centre should have convened an all-party meeting in order to resolve the Cauvery issue. She added it was not too late for the centre to do so.
Kanimozhi also told The News Minute that the bandh was a peaceful bandh to protest events in Karnataka. “We want a permanent solution to the Cauvery issue. We want the central government to get involved and find a permanent solution to the issue so that there is justice and fairness to the Tamil farmers,” she said.
Firebrand MDMK leader Vaiko was also detained at Thiruchi railway station.
VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan was detained from a protest near Basin Bridge in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu on Friday witnessed its first bandh over the Cauvery issue, after various trade organisations and farmers’ associations called for a state-wide shutdown against violence targeting Tamils in Karnataka and seeking a permanent solution to the dispute.
PR Pandian, President of Cauvery Delta All Farmers Association’s Coordination Committee said a protest will be held at Egmore station in Chennai on Friday.
"We are protesting against the violence that happened in Karnataka, and demand that adequate compensation be given to the affected vendors and a permanent solution to the Cauvery issue," he said on Thursday.
While the ruling AIADMK did not lend support to the bandh call, opposition parties including the DMK, Congress, Left parities, PMK, DMDK, MDMK, VCK, and TMC extended their support to the 12-hour shutdown beginning at 6am on Friday.