Mandya, July 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Several Karnataka BJP leaders were detained by police on Friday after attempting to lay siege to the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Mandya district during a protest against the Congress government’s handling of the Cauvery water dispute.
The demonstration was organised to oppose the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) direction to Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu. Police had made elaborate security arrangements at the KRS Dam in Srirangapatna, deploying over 1,500 personnel to prevent any law and order issues.
Among those participating in the protest were BJP state president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, MLC C.T. Ravi and several other party leaders and workers from across the state.
Addressing the gathering, Vijayendra accused Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of failing to protect Karnataka’s interests in the Cauvery dispute. He alleged that the Chief Minister had delayed convening an all-party meeting and termed his recent actions as “crocodile tears”, claiming the government had already released substantial quantities of water to Tamil Nadu before taking political initiatives on the issue.
Vijayendra also criticised the Congress government over its handling of farmers’ concerns, alleging it had neglected the interests of cultivators in the Cauvery basin.
Former Chief Minister Yediyurappa urged the state government not to release water to Tamil Nadu and called for the early implementation of the Mekedatu project. He also accused the Chief Minister of focusing on political matters instead of addressing Karnataka’s water concerns.
R. Ashoka alleged that the state government had failed to effectively present Karnataka’s case before the Cauvery authorities, while Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said the BJP would support the government if it decided against releasing water from the KRS reservoir. MLC C.T. Ravi maintained that an all-party meeting should have been convened much earlier to formulate the state’s strategy.
The protest comes amid renewed tensions over water sharing between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu following the latest directions issued by the CWMA.
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