Protest is a tool in the hands of the masses used to express their dissent with the state. Be it the 8 hour work day movement where workers fought for an 8 hour work day or the women’s suffrage movement where women fought for their right to vote, protests have played a pivotal role throughout the course of history. However, the so-called democracies are keen on blunting this tool held by the people.
On 10th of January 2022, as per the instructions of the High Court of Karnataka, the state government of Karnataka passed a gazette notification called ‘Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021’. In papers, it is promulgated by the authorities to keep the traffic disruption caused by protests in check, which is quite questionable and the real reason can be quite far insidious.
As per this order, citizens of Bengaluru can express their views, opinions and social concerns only in the boundaries of Freedom Park – a cordoned-off area which is alienated and far off from the public view. It has been a bit over a year since this order has been passed and Freedom Park has been turned into One
Big Fair.
It is a daily spectacle where the “protests” are being conducted in designated spaces under tents, where the noises from one protest are overlapping the other. The protestors shouting at the top of their lungs would reach a maximum distance of a few meters just to be cancelled out by another protestor protesting over a completely different issue. Some of these ‘protest tents’ have been there for a year, where people are made to sit idle and nobody bats an eye at them or their cause.
Earlier, all it required to hold a public demonstration was a police intimation, which has now developed into a “Police Permission”. Concerned citizens now have to apply for permission where the police goes through the object of the protest and issue permission accordingly. Nothing short of a detailed investigation is conducted by the police while doing so, where all the details such as the demands raised, number of people expected, leaders of the movement are all noted down. The “Protest Permission” seekers are even made to attend a meeting with the police officials where certain guidelines are set
out effectively scrutinising the protest further more.
which has now developed into a “Police Permission”. Concerned citizens now have to apply for permission where the police goes through the object of the protest and issue permission accordingly. Nothing short of a detailed investigation is conducted by the police while doing so, where all the details such as the demands raised, number of people expected, leaders of the movement are all noted down. The “Protest Permission” seekers are even made to attend a meeting with the police officials where certain guidelines are set out effectively scrutinising the protest further more.
Prior to the notice, Bengaluru could see demonstrations being held in almost all corners of the city. Town Hall, Maurya Circle, Mysore Bank Circle were prominent hubs where concerned citizens could show their dissent and dissatisfaction with the state machinery. These venues served the main purpose of protests which is reaching out to the public. However the so-called protests in Freedom Park now does not achieve this as it is a cordoned off area with no public visibility. The protest is now under the mercy of the state where voices are monitored prior hand. There is a tradition followed by the working class where during May Day, unions across Bengaluru hold a march from Town Hall to Freedom Park and while
denying the permission for this demonstration, the high court of Karnataka observed that “It (The
demonstration) is bound to cause hinderance to the general public”. This is just one incidence out of many, where the state is seen trying to discredit movements and alienate them from the people. If anyone is the general public it is the people, the workers who are trying to raise their grievances and show dissatisfaction with the existing system.
The new order was cited while an FIR was registered on the protesting farmers in Devanahalli. The farmers of Devanahalli were protesting against the forceful land acquisition and were expressing their dissent on 15.08.2022, when they were confronted by the police who cited the order and detained them. The order demands that in order to show their dissent concerning the land and people of Devanahalli, the farmers have to travel all the way to Freedom Park which is 50kms away to protest in a cordoned off area!
Allowing protests in Freedom Park serves as an illusion of dissent being allowed which is actually worse than banning protest altogether . The new order is anti-people and meant to suppress voices. Freedom involves freedom to express dissent which just cannot be confined to a mere park.
