Bengaluru bandh: Shutdown called off after Karnataka High Court order

BENGALURU: The call for Bengaluru bandh over the Mahadayi water dispute issue was on Saturday withdrawn after the Karnataka High Court called the shutdown as "unconstitutional".

The call for bandh was given by former MLA and Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, along with the support of other organisations to seeking the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Mahadayi water dispute. 

Making its stand clear while dismissing the call for bandh, the court had directed the state government and other agencies to take ensure that day-to-day life of people does not take a hit due to the "unconstitutional" call.

The bandh was called on a day when the Prime Minister will be in Bengaluru to address a rally. 

While the bandh has been called off, the protestors said that they will be observing the day as 'Black Day'.

Earlier, the same protestors had called for Karnataka bandh when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah's visited the state last week. The BJP has been alleging the hand of Congress in the shutdowns which had been called on the days when Amit Shah and PM Modi were to be in the state.

However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah denied the charges as baseless. "I am not so cheap to back a bandh opposing PM’s visit,” he had claimed.