H D Kumaraswamy demands release of activists arrested during Karnataka bandh

Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday demanded that the state government release the activists detained during the bandh to protest the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

Today's bandh was called by the 'Kannada Okkoota', an umbrella organsation of Kannada and farmers' outfits, to oppose the release of water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

As the southern parts of the state are witnessing a bandh by farmers and pro-Kannada outfits over the Cauvery issue, Kumaraswamy, the JD(S) second-in-command, said the unity of the 'Kannada family' should be a wake-up call to the neighbouring state.

"Entire Karnataka is throbbing for the Cauvery struggle. Today's bandh has evoked good response from all quarters," he wrote on 'X' (formerly Twitter).

ಕಾವೇರಿ ಹೋರಾಟಕ್ಕೆ ಇಡೀ ಕರುನಾಡು ಮಿಡಿದಿದೆ. ಇಂದಿನ ಬಂದ್ ಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆಯಿಂದ ಉತ್ತಮ ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆ ವ್ಯಕ್ತವಾಗಿದೆ. ನಾಡು, ನುಡಿ, ನೆಲಜಲದ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ ಬಂದಾಗ ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಒಂದಾಗಬೇಕು. ಕನ್ನಡ ಕುಟುಂಬದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಾಸುಹೊಕ್ಕಾಗಿರುವ ಈ ಸಾಮರಸ್ಯ, ಐಕ್ಯತೆ ನೆರೆ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳಿಗೆ ಎಚ್ಚರಿಕೆ ಗಂಟೆ ಆಗಬೇಕು. @INCKarnataka ಸರಕಾರವೂ ಕನ್ನಡ ಭಾವನೆಗಳನ್ನು…

— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 29, 2023

When it comes to the question of land, language and water, everyone should be united, the former CM said, adding this harmony and unity in the Kannada family should be a wake-up call to the neighbouring states.

"The government should not suppress Kannada sentiments. The activists who have already been detained should be released," he said.