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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Railway lines as fence could cut cost of barricading to curb man-elephant conflicts: MP Wadiyar
Bengaluru, Sept 17: MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has suggested that to bring down the exorbitant cost barricading – estimated to cost around Rs 1.3 to Rs 1.5 crore per kilometre – railway lines could be used to construct fences on Tuesday.
Wadiyar took to X to share the letter he had sent to Union Environment Forest & Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav.
Stating that “railway (lines) barricading” is proving to be an effective way to restrict the movement of elephants, he suggested that this should be taken up on a large scale.
“Upon consultation with the relevant authorities, it has come to my understanding that the cost of barricading per kilometre comes to Rs 1.3 crore to Rs 1.5 crore. Given that the border of the forests in my constituency stretches to over 400 km, with around 280 km of forest border requiring immediate barricading, the cost of such an exercise will reach Rs 350 crore to Rs 400 crore,” he wrote in his letter.
He said the environment ministry could make a direct request with the railway ministry for an allocation of railway lines, thus reducing the cost of the project to just that of labour cost.
“The benefits of this initiative are manifold, from reduction of human casualties, protection of property and livelihood, to conservation of elephants and, most importantly, promoting human-elephant coexistence, which is the need of the hour,” he added.
Working towards safer coexistence in Mysore-Kodagu! Submitted proposal to Union Environment Forest & Climate change Minister Shri Bhupendra Yadav Ji for railway barricading to reduce elephant-human conflicts. pic.twitter.com/VjOWIF1TTC
— Yaduveer Wadiyar (@yaduveerwadiyar) September 17, 2024
