The dawn-to-dusk bandh call given by the Malaprabha, Mahadayi, Kalasa-Banduri Raitha Okkuta over the Mahadayi river water sharing dispute and other issues elicited good response in the twin cities on Wednesday.
Barring a few incidents of exchange of heated words between the protesters and police officials and some shop-keepers, the bandh was total and peaceful in Dharwad.
Various pro-Kannada organisations, voluntary organisations, trading and commerce bodies, the Dharwad Bar Association and others extended support to the bandh. The protest began at around 7.30 a.m. but received momentum by 9 a.m.
The shop-keepers voluntarily refrained from opening their establishments.
Banks and government offices functioned with closed shutters.
As a precautionary measure, Deputy Commissioner S.B. Bommanahalli had declared holiday for schools and colleges and hence, students did not feel the heat of the bandh. The busy marketing area on Subhas Road, Jubilee Circle, Court Circle and other such areas witnessed skeletal movement of people.
The agitators, including members of various pro-Kannada organisations, held a public meeting and later conducted a rasta roko at the Jubilee Circle. Tyres and effigies of the government were burnt at Jubilee Circle.
Leaders of various organisations, political parties, heads of religious institutions and others participated in the protest.
The police had made elaborate security arrangements and deployed special enforcement forces in different parts of the city.
Members of pro-Kananda organisations staged a protest rally on Goa Road near Kelgeri which disrupted vehicular movement throughout the day.
The protesters claiming that the Goa was unnecessarily creating problems for the State in getting its water share, stopped vehicles near the Toll Plaza. Members of the Dharwad Bar Association too supported the bandh call by staying away from court proceedings. The members took out a protest rally and staged a protest near the Jubilee Circle.
NWKRTC and private bus services were discontinued following the bandh call. There were complaints of autorickshaw operators and other private vehicles swindling passengers, especially those who alighted at the bus station in the morning from other destinations.
