Bengaluru activists write to CM Siddaramaiah over police order confining protests to Freedom Park
The Right to Protest campaign has sought signatures on a letter addressed to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara demanding withdrawal of the Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021.
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The Karnataka High Court in January last year ordered the state government to restrict all protests and rallies in Bengaluru to Freedom Park located on Seshadri Road and barred protests at other places in the city. (Express file photo) Civic groups in Bengaluru carried out a protest and signature campaign this week seeking the withdrawal of an order that restricts protests in the city to Freedom Park located in its western part.
The Right to Protest campaign has sought public signatures on a letter addressed to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara demanding immediate withdrawal of the Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021 which was imposed in 2022.
The campaign has said that the order is a violation of the fundamental right to protest and has sought immediate withdrawal of all cases filed against persons who have exercised this fundamental right to protest, including workers, farmers, Dalits, women and other marginalised communities.
“A democratic society can be fostered when the citizens’ right to protest is being respected and their voice is heard by protecting their right to protest,” says the letter.
The Karnataka High Court in January last year ordered the state government to restrict all protests and rallies in Bengaluru to Freedom Park located on Seshadri Road and barred protests at other places in the city. The Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstration and Protest Marches(Bangalore City) Order 2021 was introduced at the same time by the Bengaluru police.
“It has been more than a year since the police have restricted protests and other gatherings in any place except Freedom Park and have refused permissions for processions in any other place apart from Freedom Park which has caused a lot of hardships for all the activists and people who wish to exercise their constitutional rights,” the campaigners stated.
“This restrictive order has been thoroughly implemented by the police which has resulted in many cases being filed against many marginalised communities for engaging in their constitutional right to protest such as many LGBTQI community members who wished to organise pride march during the pride month,” the letter added.
“In a democracy, protests are a form of dialogue between affected citizens and other concerned citizens as well as a way for affected citizens to ensure that their voice is heard by the government,” it stated.
(With inputs from Madhumita Sharma)
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