Activists, writers urge CM Siddaramaiah to withdraw order curbing protests in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Ahead of the International Day of Democracy on September 15, 2024, notable authors, activists along with progressive and democratic groups have urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to withdraw the order restricting protests to Freedom Park in Bengaluru.
The group released an open letter to the CM which was signed by more than 500 people, including historian Ramachandra Guha, senior writer K. Marulasiddappa, Rahamat Tarikere, Dr Vijayamma, activist K.S. Vimala, among others. The letter criticised the Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations, and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021, which confines protests to Freedom Park and mandates prior police approval.
Signatories noted that the order infringes upon freedom of speech and expression, leading to shrinking of democratic spaces. The open letter stated, “For over two years, the police have restricted protests in any place other than Freedom Park, and have refused permission for processions. This marks a complete change from what was previously being followed when protests were permitted across the city. More so, even in Freedom Park, the police is arbitrarily and unconstitutionally censoring what citizens can protest for/against.”
Writer-historian Ramachandra Guha criticised the order, suggesting that Freedom Park could be renamed to reflect its new role, such as “Where Freedom is Hidden Away Park” or “Unfreedom Park.” He emphasised that the order contradicts the foundational values of peaceful protest that were integral to India's independence movement.
In addition to requesting the withdrawal of the restrictive order, the letter called for the dismissal of FIRs filed against individuals exercising their right to protest and for a criminal investigation into police officers involved in the violent crackdown on protestors.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
