Cauvery waters spat: TN, Karnataka in tit-for-tat ban on channels, films

MUMBAI: With the Cauvery waters dispute threatening to spin out of control, the two “warring” southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have targeted the entertainment sector in order to bring pressure to bear.

Reports indicate that Tamil movies and television channels Sun, Vijaya, Jaya, Raj have been banned in Karnataka from today. Cross over into Tamil Nadu and the scenario is similar, except that it is Kannada channels and films that are feeling the heat. The Tamil Nadu Cable TV Operators Association has sent out an edict banning the airing the Kannada channels Udaya, Udaya News and Ushe TV.

Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the Kannada Hitharakshana Vedike (Kannada Welfare Protection Council) has instructed cinema owners to stop screening Tamil films from today to protest against the Tamil film industry’s proposed rally in Neyveli on 12 October.

Karnataka has also threatened to ban goods and vehicles from Tamil Nadu entering the state. Meanwhile, protesters attacked a cinema house in Bangalore and stopped the screening of Tamil superstar Rajnikant’s latest flick Baba. Rediff.com reported that additional forces were rushed to those localities of Bangalore where there was a dominant presence of Tamils. Tamils constitute around 15 per cent of the six million people in the city.