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BANGALORE:
After a mammoth discussion round between various Kannada groups
and the cable operator representatives, most of the Karnataka
activists have decided to permit relay of Tamil TV channels
in Karnataka.
The
cable operators convinced most of the Kannada groups that
blocking Tamil transmissions was not in the interests of ‘peace
and harmony in the state.’
As
had been reported earlier, reacting to Tamil Nadu chief minister
Karunnandihi’s remarks during an inauguration of a flyover
in Chennai on Sunday, Kannada activists in Bangalore forcibly
stopped the screening of Tamil films in theaters on Monday.
The activists had also called for a blackout of Tamil channel
transmissions in the state.
The
Karnataka activists have also declared the period between
dawn and dusk on 10 April as a ‘bandh’ (total strike)
in the state. The cable operators have agreed to completely
black out Tamil transmissions during the ‘bandh’
period.
All
the major Kannada groups were party to the discussions yesterday,
expect for the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV). The KRV has
demanded that Tamil channel broadcasts be stopped completely
in the state and has threatened protests outside the local
offices of direct-to-home (DTH) operators to stop them from
airing Tamil channels on that platform. Screening of Tamil
films has to resume as yet in Karnataka.
As
per the latest reports, activists protested outside the offices
of IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd (IMCL) in Bangalore.
Preliminary reports indicate that some damage has been caused
to the IMCL property during the course of the property.
Some
confusion prevails about the exact day of the ‘bandh’,
which could be on the 10th or the 12th of April as also to
whether only the DMK-supported Kalaiganar channel would be
blocked out or not in Karnataka.
Also
yesterday, in Bangalore around 100 Kannada activists staged
a demonstration outside the offices of a Tamil publication
Dina Thanti. They also blackened the Tamil sign board and
met and urged the staff of the newspaper to stop publication
of the newspaper in Karnataka until the Hogenakkal issue was
sorted out.
Reports
on Tamil channels and spot interviews with some Tamil activists
yesterday have indicated saber rattling from Tamil Nadu (TN).
The activists had threatened to black out Kannada channels
in TN even if a single Tamil channel including Kalaignar was
blocked out in Karnataka.
During
his speech, Karunnanidhi had warned Karnataka against putting
hurdles in the Hogenakkal water project and said that his
patience was running out. The Kannada activists have accused
the TN government of lobbying with the center to implement
the controversial project, though the matter is under dispute.
The Kannada activists have also accused the UPA government
at the center of repeatedly ignoring the interests of Karnataka
state.
Also
Read:-
Screening
of Tamil movies stopped in Bangalore
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