People have right to protest, says CM Siddaramaiah on agitations over Cauvery issue

"It is natural that protests take place in a democracy. We will not stop it,” the CM said.

The state government will not restrict protests as it is the right of the people to stage a protest, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Saturday.  Siddaramaiah was speaking to mediapersons here and reacting about the Cauvery water sharing dispute protests. “It is natural that protests take place in a democracy. We will not stop it,” he said. 

However, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar urged activists to drop the call for Bengaluru bandh on September 26. “Nothing will come out of it. The state government is committed to protecting the interests of its people and there is no need for a bandh, he opined. Shivakumar also lashed out at the Opposition parties for merely giving political statements even as the state government was making all efforts to protect the farmers’ interests.