Despite Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announcement on Saturday that the Hogenakkal project on river Cauvery had been put on hold, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, which has been spearheading the campaign against the project, has sought a ban on all Tamil movies in Karnataka.

The Vedike's latest outburst comes following the statements made by Tamil superstar Rajnikanth on the issue on Friday.

President of the Vedike, Narayana Gowda, said he will put pressure on the required quarters to ensure that screening of all Tamil movies is banned in Karnataka.

The demand to ban all Tamil movies in Karnataka has been taken by them following the protests by the Tamil film industry and also the statements made by Super Star Rajnikanth regarding the Hogenakkal issue, Gowda said at a press conference on Saturday.

Our fight will continue, he said, adding that the stir will not stop until all Tamil movies are banned in the state.

Even as the Vedike sought a ban, theatres across Karnataka have stopped screening Tamil movies, as they fear a backlash.

Theatres have been the first target always, especially in Karnataka, ever since the Cauvery dispute started.

April 10 bandh called off:
Meanwhile, Pro-Kannada organisations have called off their April 10 bandh against the project following Karunanidhi's statement.

Pro-Kannada organisations, under the umbrella of Akhila Karnataka Gadi Horata Samithi, had called for a bandh earlier to protest Karunanidhi's statement that his government would go ahead with the water project.

The project had triggered protests by various pro-Kannada organisations since the past five days. The organisations had burned effigies of Karunanidhi, attacked the office of a local cable operator besides storming a Tamil daily's office.

Additional Reportage: PTI