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Protests over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute intensified across Karnataka on Thursday, July 30, with Kannada activists forcing the cancellation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's latest film Jana Nayagan in Mandya, while farmer organisations continued demonstrations against releasing water to Tamil Nadu.
Members of the Karunada Vijaya Sene staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner's office in Mandya before marching to Gurushree Cinema, where Jana Nayagan was being screened. Demanding that the screening be stopped, the protesters raised slogans against the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) direction to Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. Following the protest, the theatre management cancelled the screening. The activists also tore down the film's posters.
Farmer organisations also stepped up their agitation in Mandya, urging the Karnataka government not to comply with the CWRC's order. Members of the Mandya District Raitha Hitarakshana Samithi held a demonstration near Sir M Visvesvaraya's statue on the old Mysuru-Bengaluru highway. Farmer leader Sunanda Jayaram and other leaders demanded that the State government firmly oppose the release of water, citing drought conditions and concerns over irrigation.
The BJP accused the Congress government of failing to protect Karnataka's interests in the Cauvery dispute and urged it to explore all legal options, including approaching the Supreme Court.
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka alleged that the government, led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, had failed to adequately defend the state's interests despite deficient rainfall, depleting reservoir levels and falling groundwater. He said the BJP would support any legal or political steps taken by the government to safeguard Karnataka's farmers and urged it to prioritise the state's interests over political considerations.
Ashoka also called for an immediate survey of crops affected by the dry spell in the Cauvery basin and sought compensation for farmers.
Amid the escalating row, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced that an all-party meeting would be held on Sunday, August 2, at his official residence in Bengaluru to discuss Karnataka's response to the dispute.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Shivakumar said the meeting would be attended by former Chief Ministers, Members of Parliament and MLAs from the Cauvery basin region.
"We filed an appeal before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) today. We will discuss the way forward at the all-party meeting," he said.
Shivakumar added that the government had also held consultations with Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and V Somanna, as well as BJP MPs Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai.
Responding to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's reported suggestion that Karnataka should take up the issue with the Union government instead of confronting Tamil Nadu, Shivakumar struck a conciliatory note.
"We have no interest in fighting with each other. There is a law of the land and we must respect one another. The entire country must work together," he said.
