Coming: Total ban on road rallies

Coming: Total ban on road rallies
VIJAY TIMES NEWS

In what could be a major relief for motorists, pedestrians and of course the police force, Bangalore Police is contemplating a blanket ban on staging of protests and dharnas on roads.

The law enforcement authorities have been forced to think about this option after chaos on the roads as and when the protestors take to streets.

A decision has been taken at a meeting recently to send a proposal in this regard to the State Government, said Additional Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Bipin Gopalakrishna.

With the implementation of the proposal, the protestors including a few political organisations will have to think twice before staging dharnas or rallies.

Gopalakrishna said the police department had identified few vacant lands like the old Central Jail, Jakkarayanakere, Chikka Lalbagh and Bannappa Park to register protest and hold dharna.

He said a delegation comprising five people would be allowed to meet the minister and authorities concerned to submit their memorandum.

It the protestors fail to adhere to this law, they would be taken into custody under Indian Penal Code (IPC) 341 for wrongful restraining and unlawful assembly in the public place. It also prohibits staging of dharna on roads, which is meant for movement of vehicles, he said.

However, one of the drawbacks in this scheme of plan is that the protestors may violate the given route of rally or dharna. “The police being in small number cannot control the agitators,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic (East) M A Saleem said if the protests were planned, the traffic cops arrange for traffic diversion to ensure free flow. If the protests are impromptu, as on Tuesday, quick measures have to be taken to ease the traffic flow, he said.