Mahadayi row: Bengaluru to welcome indifferent PM Modi with bandh on February 4

coastaldigest.com news network

January 22, 2018

Hubballi Jan 22: The federation of pro-Kannada organisations has decided to call for a Karnataka bandh on January 25, and Bengaluru bandh on February 4, the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Bengaluru, demanding that he resolve the Mahadayi river issue.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of various pro-Kannada organisations and Kalasa-Banduri agitation committee here on Sunday.

At a press conference, it was announced that the rest of Karnataka would be shut from 6 am to 6 pm on January 25, in solidarity with the Kalasa-Banduri agitators, who are on a protest for the past 915 days, seeking water from Mahaday river to three parched districts of Gadag, Dharwad and Bagalkot.

‘Congress sponsored’

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar and Member of Parliament and former State President of BJP Pralhad Joshi have termed the proposed bandh call on February 4, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Bengaluru, as a ‘Congress-sponsored bandh’.

Addressing a joint press conference, along with former Ministers Basavaraj Bommai and C.C. Patil in Hubballi, they alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was the man behind the bandh call on February 4 over the Mahadayi issue.

Mr. Shettar said already various organisations had called for a bandh on January 25 over Mahadayi. “Now another call for Bengaluru bandh has been given. It is the day on which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Bengaluru for taking part in valedictory ceremony of BJP’s Parivartana Rally. It is a deliberate attempt by Mr. Siddaramaiah to prevent people from coming to BJP’s rally”, he said.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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