Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who had earlier expressed his reservations about bandh on the Cauvery issue, said the government would cooperate with the bandh and protests related to Cauvery water sharing. “The protests are being held to safeguard the interest of the State’s land, water and language issues. We will co-operate with the protest. We will not prevent any protest. However, peace should be protected and public should not be inconvenienced,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that protest is the fundamental right of any party in democracy. “No party will be prevented from participating in protests. Our party colleagues have asked what to do about the protest. We have suggested to them to fight to protect our rights,” he added
When asked if protests would affect the State’s legal position in court, Mr. Shivakumar said, “I cannot answer this question as a Minister. We have to respect both judiciary and people. Bandh loses its relevance if people do not support it. We are between the devil and the deep sea. How can I answer this question in this situation?”
