The move by Sadashivanagar police to register an FIR against 70 people, who took out a peaceful march on February 19 opposing the construction of a flyover along Sankey road, has left activists and citizens shocked.
The activists termed the move “undemocratic” and a ploy to “oppress the public voice.” “Democracy is in a state of retreat. If the public cannot hold a peaceful march to oppose the government’s decision, where have we reached?” wondered Vinay Sreenivasa, an advocate.
Preeti Sunderajan, a member of the Citizens for Sankey, a collective of residents from Malleswaram, Sadashivanagar, and Vyalikaval opined that the authorities are trying to instill fear among those opposing the project.
“They have been behind us right from the beginning. They cancelled the permission we had obtained for one of the walks. In fact, on February 19, we neither called out slogans nor held posters. It was a peaceful silent march and how can they book us for this,” Preeti said.
Sneha Nandihal, the co-founder of iChange Indiranagar, said that the police were setting a wrong precedent.
“I am shocked. This can happen to anyone in the future. Some MLAs and politicians block traffic day in and day out and that is not considered an obstruction to the public way. Why are the citizens who only held a march without causing any problem slapped with such cases,” she said.
The move has stirred up a controversy that had settled down after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) put the project on hold till the BMLTA approved it. A senior officer told DH that according to the High Court directive, protests are to be staged only at Freedom Park and nowhere else. “Without informing the local jurisdictional police station, they protested on the road. As per standard procedure a notice has been issued to record their statement,” said an officer.