Veteran Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj clarified on Tuesday that the proposed 'Karnataka Bandh' scheduled for Thursday, August 13, extends far beyond the ongoing Cauvery water dispute. Speaking to reporters in Hubballi following a demonstration at Kittur Chennamma Circle for the swift execution of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala Project, he urged all pro-Kannada groups, agricultural leaders, and civic organisations to rally behind the shutdown.
However, while addressing the media, Nagaraj made it clear that the issue of Cauvery is just one of the numerous issues that have great importance for the state. He stressed that other demands of Kittur Karnataka, Kalyana Karnataka, and coastal Karnataka should not be overlooked, since regional issues cannot be dealt with in isolation; there needs to be a state-wide movement for regional equilibrium and development.
Talking about the long-standing complaints, Nagaraj highlighted the Kalasa-Banduri Nala dispute that continues since years of agitations. He stressed the urgency of thrusting both this scheme and the Upper Krishna Project back into the political spotlight alongside the Mekedatu and Cauvery disputes. Turning to territorial matters, he recommended that the Belagavi Municipal Corporation formally pass a resolution declaring Belagavi an integral part of Karnataka, while calling on the state government to allocate priority funding for the border district's infrastructure.
Dismissing claims that key groups were pulling back, Nagaraj accused vested interests of running a misinformation campaign against the strike. He maintained that hundreds of bodies spanning from Belagavi to Chamarajanagar and Mangaluru to Kolar have already pledged their wholehearted support to the cause.
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