Bengaluru, Sep 29 (IANS) Five activists were arrested while trying to stage a protest inside the Bengaluru airport on Friday, and the authorities cancelled the departure and arrival of 44 flights in view of the Karnataka bandh called by pro-Kannada organisations over the Cauvrey water issue

The flights scheduled to fly to metro cities New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and other destinations have been cancelled, sources confirmed. 

According to sources, the activists had purchased a ticket for the Indigo 7731 flight and entered the premises of the Bengaluru airport at 9.50 a.m. They were planning to stage a protest near the flight. The authorities took them into custody as they were preparing to stage the protest. The protesters were taken into custody and handed over to the police. The official statement in this regard is yet to be made by the police department.

Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy urged the state government to immediately release the Kannada activists taken into custody or arrested while staging protests over the Cauvery issue.

“The whole state has responded well to the Karnataka bandh call. All should be united when it comes to the interests of the state. The integrity and unity of the state should be a warning bell to the neighbouring states,” he stated without taking the name of Tamil Nadu. “The feelings of Kannada people should not be trampled upon,” he said.

“We extend total support to the bandh from JD(S). The agitation for Cauvery has become inevitable under the present circumstances. The government in Karnataka is practicing appeasement politics. The politics should not be carried over the Cauvery issue. Tamil Nadu is receiving good rainfall and predictions of rain are also positive. Still, the quarrel is made for water. The state government in Karnataka is not taking a stand for the people,” Kumaraswamy stated.

The agitators ridiculed and torched the effigies of 28 MPs from Karnataka for not speaking for the state over the Cauvery issue. Among the 28 MLAs, 25 are from BJP, one each from JD(S) and Congress. Another is an independent candidate presently supporting the BJP.