Cauvery row: Ashoka hits the road to oversee situation

Deputy chief minister R Ashoka, who also holds home and transport portfolios, hit the road to monitor the situation in the wake of Karnataka bandh on Saturday, called by various pro-Kannada organisations.

The minister took this step after there were some incidents of stone pelting on BMTC buses. Clad in his usual white kurta, Ashoka took rounds in the city, along with additional commissioner of police (administration) Prashant Kumar Thakur. He monitored the situation on the Bellary Road and stood near the Palace Guttahalli bus stop, next to Cauvery junction, to monitor the traffic flow. He even stopped two Nandini milk tankers and enquired with the drivers whether they had faced any problem on the way due to the bandh.

As the BMTC buses and taxis were off the road, those landing atBIAL had to rely on cars and other private vehicles of their friends and relatives to reach the city.
Meanwhile, near CBI Junction and other places on Bellary Road, hundreds of protesters had lit tyres and placed it in the middle of the road. They also took out bike rallies.

Ashoka told DNA that there were some incidents of stone pelting on BMTC. “We had allowed few buses to ply in the morning, but stopped after some buses got damaged due to stone pelting. I have taken up rounds in the city to monitor the situation,” he said.

The minister added that the bandh was observed voluntarily by the people of Karnataka. They came forward after the prime minister ordered the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.The bandh is being observed for a good cause and done in a peaceful manner, he added.

“I have directed to the police to maintain law and order. The police bandobust will continue for few more days in city and also across the state, especially in the old Mysore areas,” Ashoka said.

He claimed that after he came to know about stone pelting on BMTC buses, he decided to take out rounds in the city. “I do not want innocent people to suffer due to bandh,” he said.

State’s review petition hearing on Monday

Chief minister Jagadish Shettar is scheduled to leave for Delhi on Sunday evening since Karnataka’s review petition in the Supreme Court, pleading for a stay on the court’s order to release 9,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till October 15, will come up for hearing on Monday.

Shettar will hold discussions with legal experts and advocates representing the state in the arguments before the Supreme Court before the review petition comes up for hearing.

In its review petition, the state government has sought a stay or modification of the earlier Supreme Court order which forced the state to release water to Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, the central team led by KC Jacob has decided to continue its tour of the Cauvery basin in the state for two more days. Jacob told the media that Karnataka is facing a real problem