The Karnataka government has clamped down completely on protests for Palestine. In any case, in Bengaluru, space for protests is sharply restricted and protests are allowed only in Freedom park. For those who haven’t been there, this is a completely-out-of-the-way enclave, which ensures that no one sees the protest. (Worse, in my opinion, than Azad Maidan in Mumbai or Jantar Mantar in Delhi). But the government has refused to allow protests on Palestine even at Freedom park. A week ago, members of the Left parties intimated the police and staged a protest, only to be promptly detained. This follows an FIR that the police lodged against those who attended an event on 16 October in MG Road.
For almost 10 days, Bengaluru for Justice and Peace (a group that I have been part of) has tried to get permission for a protest. Some members of the group met the chief minister. Others met the police commissioner (after waiting for hours), and then the DCP in charge of freedom park. The police has denied permission each time.
This is completely unconstitutional. And clearly the police is simply implementing a decision that has been made by the state government. (Doesn’t take much to figure out what their political calculations are.)
