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Up until now, it was decided that Bengaluru would have a bandh on 4th February. After much deliberation, the Karnataka High Court has declared no bandh. This comes highlighting the Supreme Court ruling that bandhs are illegal.
Court order on Karnataka bandh
The division bench was led by acting Chief Justice HG Ramesh, calling off the bandh. The ruling declared that the government should allow businesses to proceed without hurdles. The bandh coincidentally collides with Modi’s visit to the city. But, Vatal Nagaraj and pro-Kannada factions have been asserting that they want Modi’s intervention in the Mahadayi water issue.
The High Court called the bandh ‘illegal’ and ‘unconstitutional’ based on the previous supreme court ruling. But if that really is the case, then why was 25th January a bandh in all of Karnataka. Wasn’t that unconstitutional as well? It was on the same day 25th January that a PIL was filed against the two bandhs. The High Court issued notices asking for responses from both the government and Vatal Nagaraj. The PIL was filed by Shraddha Parents Association. It also argued that the bandhs led to economic loss and disruption in the common man’s life.
The Prime minister’s visit
After the ruling was announced, BJP took to social media to comment on the matter. They called the bandh only a move to thwart Modi’s rally. They also argued that the bandh was ‘regressive’ and not ‘voluntary’.
Karnataka HC stays unconstitutional bandh that CM Siddaramaiah wanted to impose on people of Karnataka only to thwart PM Modi rally on Sunday. These regressive ideas of a bandh, more so when it is not voluntary, have no space in a democracy. #HCSlapsSiddaramiah pic.twitter.com/Cl6ixJmWro
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) February 2, 2018
The Prime Minister is slated to address Bengaluru, as part of BJP’s Parivartana Yatra in Karnataka on Sunday. He will be addressing the citizens at Palace Grounds, Bengaluru at 2:00 P.M. One will have to see if he does touch upon the Mahadayi issue are not and what stand he takes on the matter. A lot has happened leading up to his visit, but he happens to be BJP’s favorite card to play. Let’s see if they play it right.