BENGALURU/MYSURU/MANDYA: The call for Karnataka bandh Thursday over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu had little impact on daily life in most parts of the state, but sparked intense protests in Mandya, where farmers and pro-Kannada groups blocked roads and demanded that state govt refuse to release any more water to the neighbouring state.The bandh, called by Federation of Kannada Organisations led by activist Vatal Nagaraj, was against directives from Cauvery Water Regulation Committee and Cauvery Water Managem-ent Authority to Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs to TN.Traders, hotel owners, auto and taxi operators and several farmer groups backed the cause, but said a shutdown was not the answer. As a result, bandh remained largely symbolic.The agitation lost momentum after several organisations withdrew their support for a complete shutdown. Chief minister DK Shivakumar said activists, including Praveen Shetty and Sa Ra Govindu, told him they were “withdrawing the bandh call in the larger interest of the state”.Home minister Priyank Kharge said several associations had extended “moral support” to the govt by respecting Shivakumar’s appeal against a total bandh. In Mysuru, Hassan and Ballari, schools, colleges, shops, hotels and transport services functioned normally.Police detained some activists who attempted to block buses in Bengaluru and Mysuru. The strongest response came from Mandya, epicentre of the Cauvery agitation. Farmers and pro-Kannada activists gathered at Sanjay Circle and other locations, carrying empty pots and horse gram and blocking the old Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.Horse gram was meant to highlight the alternative crop farmers may have to grow instead of paddy if water becomes scarce. Protesters chanted “our water, our right” and urged govt not to release “even a drop” to
