Lift protest curbs in city or brace for Oct 2 rally: Group

BENGALURU: A collective of numerous organisations, including farmer unions, student unions, trade unions and pro-Kannada outfits, has demanded that the government withdraw its restrictions on protests in the city or else they will conduct a massive rally on October 2 in violation of the order.

Under the banner of Horatada Hakkigagi Janandolana (People's Movement for the Right to Protest), the collective has called the government order anti-people and anti-democratic. Police had issued the order in question - 'Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches' - in 2022, restricting all public protests to Freedom Park on Seshadri Road. The police directive came in the backdrop of high court observations on motorists being put to hardship because of traffic jams caused by demonstrations.

Citing that the Constitution recognises the right to protest as a component of the right to freedom of expression, the collective argued that this has given Indians the chance to participate in governance and uphold democracy.

Members of student unions said they want to take up a plethora of issues but can't express themselves due to the curbs on protests. "We are moving from a saffronised NEP to a corporatised SEP...We wish to raise our voice against it. Students in the state are suffering a lot," they said.

The group has demanded that apart from the order, all cases filed against people who protested in violation of it also be withdrawn.