Vijay's Jana Nayagan screening stopped across Karnataka amid Cauvery water dispute

The screening of actor and Tamil Nadu Chief Minsiter Vijay's Jana Nayagan has been halted across Karnataka amid escalating tensions over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute. As protests intensified following the Cauvery Water Management Authority's (CWMA) direction to release water to Tamil Nadu, theatres cancelled shows as a precautionary measure, while pro-Kannada groups caused ruckus in some theatres in Mandya.

In Bengaluru, Sampige Theatre cancelled all scheduled shows for the day as a precautionary measure. Theatre staff removed Vijay's posters, while some were covered with other posters to prevent any untoward incidents. Security was tightened across sensitive areas, with the Srirampura Police



increasing patrolling and deploying additional personnel in localities with a sizeable Tamil-speaking population to maintain law and order.

In Karnataka's Mandya, pro-Kannada activists took down promotional banners of Jana Nayagan as demonstrations over the Cauvery issue gathered steam.

The protests were triggered after the CWMA upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) recommendation directing Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days. Farmer groups and Kannada organisations opposed the order, arguing that Karnataka is itself facing a water shortage and that releasing water would adversely affect the state's farmers.