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Cauvery row: Rajakumar to lead
protest march

Karnataka matinee idol Rajakumar will lead a march, organised by the Kannada Cine Association to protest against the Centre's directive to release Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday, September 24.

The march, in which other film personalities will also participate, will pass through the main streets of Bangalore and a day-long dharna will be held near the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

The Karnataka Film Chambers announced that till the crisis is resolved in favour of Karnataka, the artistes will not participate in any functions.

But farmers in the Mandya district were unhappy that the matinee idol had been silent over the issue. They burnt effigies of Rajakumar and pelted stones at cinema halls.

Initially, the protests were peaceful, but it turned violent towards the evening. They raised slogans against the cine artistes and businessman for not responding to their problems. The police had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the mob.

As a precautionary measure, all schools and colleges were closed for the next three days.

The farmers also decided to meet the Cauvery River Monitoring Committee and discuss the problems being faced by them. "They should not just visit only dams and go off. They should tour total catchments area and assess the situation. We will try to convince them," the leaders said.

The Karnataka assembly will meet on Tuesday to discuss the issue. "We will hold discussions about the severe drought situation in the state," the Chairman of the House, M V Venkatappa, said.

The issue of Janata Dal-United leader H Nagappa's abduction by brigand Veerappan will also be discussed in the assembly.

Cauvery Water Dispute: The Complete Coverage

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