Pro-Kannada groups call for Karnataka bandh over Cauvery water dispute

Pro-Kannada organisations, led by activist Vatal Nagaraj, called for a statewide bandh in Karnataka on August 13 to protest the directive to release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu. The protest was specifically aimed at opposing the order to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily for a 15-day period. Despite the call for a shutdown between 6 am and 6 pm, many commercial establishments, transport operators, and schools indicated they would continue normal operations throughout the day.

The Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka withdrew its earlier advisory for school closures, citing the need to protect academic days. Similarly, major transport corporations and several pro-Kannada groups declined to support the strike, opting instead to offer moral support to the cause. While the bandh was intended to highlight the state's interests in the water-sharing dispute, the lack of widespread participation from key sectors suggests the protest will have a limited impact on daily life in Bengaluru and across the state.