Protest over Cauvery: Kannada activists stop screening of TN CM Vijay's 'Jana Nayagan'

MANDYA: Kannada activists on Thursday intensified their protest in Mandya against the CWRC direction to Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to neighbouring Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

During the protest, they tore posters of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's film 'Jana Nayagan'.

The protesters urged the state government not to bow to pressure and release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

At Gurushri Cinema, where 'Jana Nayagan' was being screened, the activists laid siege to the theatre, held talks with the management and demanded that the screening be stopped.

The management subsequently agreed to cancel the screening.

The protesters tore down posters of the film outside the theatre and raised slogans against the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's directive.

They submitted a memorandum to the state government through the deputy commissioner (district collector), urging it not to release Cauvery water to the neighbouring state and expressing support for the farmers' agitation in Mandya.

The protesters warned that Karnataka could not spare "even a drop" of Cauvery water in view of concerns over drinking water availability and said the agitation would intensify if the state government proceeded with releasing water to Tamil Nadu.

They argued that the prevailing water situation in Karnataka, particularly concerns over drinking water availability, must be taken into account before implementing the CWRC's directive.