Karnataka: Freedom Restricted in Freedom Park | J P Gadkari

In the heart of the business centre of Bangalore City, there was once the Central Jail under the control of the State Govt. In the early 1980s, the then Govt of Karnataka took a decision to close down the jail and transform it into a large public park. However, it took the Government nearly 30 years to implement this decision.

This is the same jail where during the Emergency in 1975 all national opposition leaders were kept. It was finally opened in November 2008 by former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani named as a Freedom Park. Soon it became a hub of protest demonstrations by various sections of people.

Earlier, the Govt was allowing the demonstrations or protests to be held either at K R Circle which is only a quarter km from Vidhana Sauda or at the Town Hall which is about two km away from the seat of the Govt. The government later found that the Freedom Park which is in a closed enclosure surrounded by the earlier high walls of the prison would be more suitable for the purpose. Since then for the last 15 years practically every day there is some kind of protest demonstration or rally has been taking place there.

The advantage to the Govt or disadvantage to the protesters was its surrounding enclosure which used to keep the people passing on Sheshadri Road in front of the Park or the connecting road to Gandhi Nagar remained oblivious of what was going on inside. Even then the Siddaramaiah Govt appears to have become averse of these peaceful protests, particularly after opposition BJP-JDS protests demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister in the MUDA land scam case.

The State Govt, therefore issued an order recently imposing various restrictions on the protest rallies at the Freedom Park. Nearly 50 civil society organisations in the city has now launched a "Jana Andolana" (peoples movement) to restore the rights of people to stage a peaceful protest and gave an ultimatum to Siddaramaiah Govt to withdraw the order by 15th September. The ultimatum letter has been signed by 590 people.

A coordination committee has been formed including prominent historian Ramachandra Guha and Kannada writer Dr Vijayamma. Addressing a press meet Mr Guha said that the park should be renamed "Unfreedom Park" and demanded immediate withdrawal of the Govt order.

Guha further said "While the Chief Minister and his deputy D K Shiva Kumar publicly champion democracy, they also suppress the free expression in the State Capital", he said criticising the Govt for limiting the public protest under the pretext of maintaining law and order.

Guha further claimed that this kind of suppression can be expected in States like Gujrat and Uttar Pradesh and not in Karnataka.