A day after being rocked by large-scale violence, Bengaluru appeared to limp back to normalcy on Tuesday with sporadic protests despite heavy police presence, even as the Karnataka Government decided to comply with the Supreme Court’s order to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sought a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to solve the vexed issue.
Meanwhile, an uneasy peace prevailed all over Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on Tuesday in spite of reports that there were attacks and rioting against Tamils and their properties.
A heavy posse of policemen was posted in front of all business establishments owned by Kannadigas in TN. In a letter to Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, Jayalalithaa pleaded for security and safety of the people from TN based in Karnataka.
Meanwhile, as the Cauvery unrest kept Karnataka on the boil, the Government threatened to deal with an “iron hand” any violence after an emergency Cabinet meeting which took stock of the situation.
In Bengaluru, under prohibitory orders till Wednesday and where 16 localities remained under curfew, there were palpable signs of normalcy returning, as city police, assisted by Central forces kept a close vigil.
According to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara, 335 people have been arrested in the city and the arrests of miscreants who set vehicles ablaze will continue. Parameshwara said the Government has decided to give Rs 10 lakh compensation each to families of people killed in the violence.
Apart from the State police, additional Central forces were deployed in sensitive areas with the Centre deputing 20 companies of various paramilitary forces. Ten companies which arrived late on Monday night held a flag-march in trouble-torn areas.
Meanwhile, a 30-year-old man died of multiple injuries he suffered while
escaping a police lathi-charge when he jumped in panic from a three-storey building here on Monday, police said. With this, the toll in the unrest over Cauvery water sharing has risen to two as one person had died in police firing on Monday.
However, Siddaramaiah said the victim did not die due to police action, but due to the injuries he had suffered.
Addressing a Press conference in Bengaluru after a series of meetings with Congress leaders and a Cabinet meeting Siddaramaiah said, “As per the Supreme Court’s order, we have released water for six days. The order is hard to follow but we will still follow it. People should not take the law in their own hands; not cause damage to public property.”
“I have written to the Prime Minister. We want the PM to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers of the Cauvery basin States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry and find an amicable solution”, he added.
Assuring protection to Tamilians living in Karnataka, the Chief Minister said that he has written to TN CM Jayalalithaa to provide protection to Kannada people and their properties.
Siddaramaiah said, ‘’The situation that has emerged in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, as a fallout of the issue of distribution of the Cauvery water is distressful. In a democracy, solutions are found through restraint and mutual dialogue.’’
Seeking media help, the CM said continuously showing violent scenes may also provoke people, hence it is better that restrain is maintained. Replying to a question, he said that Karnataka has been pressing for a National Water Policy and again during the meeting with Prime Minister it will be raised.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders were also imposed in Mandya and Mysuru which had been staging peaceful agitation since September 5. The two districts in the Cauvery belt also observed bandh with farmers and pro- Kannada organisations staging peaceful demonstrations and blocking the Bengaluru-Mysore Highway at Mandya, Maddur and Malavalli.
Parameshwara said in all 97 vehicles were burnt by miscreants, this included 78 vehicles in the city alone. Apart from this 103 vehicles, including 44 in the city were damaged. Since Monday night the police had escorted 300 vehicles with TN registration till the State borders.
Hundreds of Tamilians residing in Mandya too staged a demonstration at Sanjay Circle. Shops, commercial establishments, hotels and other business houses remained shut. Petrol bunks too were closed.
The police have provided security to the estate of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi’s daughter Selvi at Vaderhalli on the outskirts of Bengaluru, following a protest demonstration by members of the Samata Sainik Dal. Shooting of a Tamil film was stopped by protesters at Jaganmohan palace in Mysuru, police said.
In the backdrop of violence in Bengaluru the city police in Hyderabad issued advisory to TV channels asking them not to air visuals pertaining to the violence, which may potentially create law and order problem in the State.
“As per the Program Code under the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, no program shall be transmitted/ retransmitted in the cable service which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order,” the police said in a statement.