synopsis

  • Pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj had called for a Karnataka bandh on June 12
  • But many organisations including Narayan Gowda’s KRV did not support the bandh
  • This resulted in poor response for the bandh throughout the state, which angered Vatal
  • This led to exchange of heated words between Vatal Nagaraj and Narayan Gowda

Two pro-Kannada leaders Vatal Nagaraj and Narayana Gowda spat has come out in public. Vatal had called a Karnataka bandh and Karnataka Rakshna a Vedike chief Narayana Gowda did not support the protest, which led to bandh receiving a poor response in the state. An angry Vatal charged at Gowda and sarcastically said all Karnataka bandh contracts should be given to Gowda, to which the latter said I don’t own Karnataka. 

Vatal Nagaraj who leads the Karnataka Chaluvali Vatal Paksha is well known for his (unique) protests for the cause of Kannada and Karnataka. Sometimes he is even trolled for his unique ways of protest including sleeping on the road, sitting on the donkey, etc.

Vatal had called for a state-wide bandh demanding drinking water and waiver of farmers loans in Karnataka. The band was called under the umbrella organisation Kannada Okkoota, led by Vatal Nagaraj. Another important pro-Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) led by Praveen Shetty (there are two factions of KRV) supported the bandh.

Praveen Shetty and his supporters were arrested, and Shetty also made a comment that they never take permission for conducting the protest and it is police personnel’s duty to protect the public property and the protesters.

However, another faction of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, led by Narayana Gowda was seen distributing flowers to autorickshaw drivers and people, asking them not to take part in the stir.

Narayana Gowda not supporting the stir led to the failure of bandh as many shops, vehicles including BMTC, KSRTC, Metro and offices decided to operate on Monday against the bandh call.

With a meagre support for bandh, Vatal and his supporters and Shetty and his followers were seen threatening shopkeepers, hoteliers and officers to forcefully down the shutters. Vatal Nagaraj was even seen telling hoteliers that if they do not support the band, they will also eat in the hotel and leave without paying.

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This reaction to bandh call angered Vatal Nagaraj who said that all contracts of conducting bandhs in Karnataka should be given to Narayan Gowda. Sarcastically he was taking a dig at Gowda for not supporting the bandh.

But reacting to this, Gowda said that not Vatal nor does he owns Karnataka. Here is what the leaders have said:

 

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