The day after: Leaders for holding rallies outside City

The day after: Leaders for holding rallies outside City
Now the question is what lesson did our political parties learn from Mondays rally which left the people fretting, fuming and helpless.


It was a Monday which every citizen residing in North Bangalore would like to forget. The endless traffic jam logged out many people from their routine. The traffic police became helpless with thousands of vehicles piling up on the roads. The JD(S) is at the receiving end as it brought scores of people in buses to Palace Grounds. On Tuesday, the blame game was on. The JD(S) alleged that the government failed to streamline the traffic flow. The police on Monday itself admitted that their calculations went wrong in foreseeing the additional traffic flow on the roads leading to the venue.

Now the question is what lesson did our political parties learn from Monday’s rally which left the people fretting, fuming and helpless. Deccan Herald posed two questions to prominent leaders of the BJP, the Congress and the JD(S) - Will their party say no to holding such rallies in the heart of the City. And, will they bring pressure on the government to introduce legislation which can ban holding public meetings in the core areas of the City.

The Congress leaders said in the recent times their party has been holding rallies in the outskirts of the City. The BJP leaders were cautious about committing themselves against organising rallies in the city, while the JD(S) leaders were defensive.

Why blame my party?

This was not the first rally happening at the Palace Grounds. AICC and the SP rallies were held very recently. Why only blame the JD(S)? Those who have reacted against it are jealous about the success of the rally.
People in Bangalore cannot stand even the slightest inconvenience. What will happen if they reach home a bit late? Do they know what problems people in rural areas are facing? Can public meetings be held at home?
I still apologise for the inconvenience. I would suggest that a place be earmarked with all facilities for conducting public rallies.

-H D Deve Gowda, former PM & JD(S) supremo

In other cities

The party will organise such rallies in future in Bangalore if it is necessary. After Monday’s rally, the party has plans to organise protest rallies in other major cities of the State.

-H D Kumaraswamy, JD(S) State President

It’s a lesson for all

It’s a lesson for all us and we will consider the hardship that the people went through because of political rallies inside the city. From the party side we will compile the suggestions from the public on holding such rallies and send them to the government.

I can understand the hardship that people went through because public transport buses were diverted for the rally. However, if we had not given the buses then the government would have been accused of being politically biased.

-D V Sadananda Gowda, BJP State President

We should not choke roads

I was also one of the victims of Monday’s traffic jam. I landed at the airport at 2.25 pm and reached my residence in RT Nagar by 4 pm. From my house, it took 1 hour 20 minutes to reach the KPCC office on Queen’s Road.

In the recent times my party has been holding public meetings and rallies in towns around Bangalore. The celebration of my taking over as the president was held in Doddaballapur, 45 kms from the City. Still we got wide media coverage. We caused no inconvenience to anyone. We should move out of the City if we want to hold rallies. We cannot harass the public. I am not criticising the JD(S). But no party should choke the roads which are already congested. Also, we should save the lung space like the Palace Grounds. I assure the people that my party will not do anything that will attract their ire.

-R V Deshpande, KPPC, President

People will not pardon us

Once S M Krishna had to apologise to the people for causing inconvenience by holding a programme in the City. I had taken the lead to hold the Congress convention recently in Doddaballapur. Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary was held in Yelahanka, while Rajeev Gandhi birth anniversary function was held in KR Puram. We are moving out of the City to hold rallies. The Congress Bhavan is located on the busy Queen’s Road. So, barring meetings, I am not for organising any function at the office. We hold agitations near Vidhana Soudha only when it becomes inevitable.

We don’t want people to curse or abuse us. If we disturb the normal life of the citizens for two hours in the morning, their entire day’s schedule goes haywire. The Congress will assure that it will not hold any rallies which will cause traffic jams. Also, we need a designated place for holding rallies and agitations.

-D K Shiva Kumar, Working President, KPCC

Not at people’s cost

Political parties have the right to hold conventions but not at the cost of citizens. The government and the organisers will have to apologise to the public for the inconvenience and agony caused. It is also appropriate if people and officers responsible for such incidents are made accountable for the failure of governance.

-M Veerappa Moily, Congress leader
(as written to the CM)

Self-restraint a must

We are making efforts to hold our public programmes outside Bangalore. Political activities are an essential part of democracy. We need to have freedom to express our views. But that does not mean that we should trouble the public. The solution is not in banning rallies and agitations. We have to find an alternative. Law alone cannot set society in order. Self-restraint while exercising freedom is what is needed. We need to be more responsible in our action.

-Krishna Byre Gowda, President, Youth Congress

Rs 4.39 crore spent on buses

The JD(S) has spent several crores of rupees to organise the convention. It has spent Rs 4.39 crore to hire KSRTC buses to ferry its workers alone.

-R Ashok, Transport Minister

Police should act

Only solution to avoid inconvenience to the public is to hold political conventions outside the city limits. Infrastructure in the city is not strong enough to withstand the pressure if thousands of vehicles enter all of a sudden. The scene in the city on Monday was no different from how a family of five people struggles to manage when 150 relatives visit their place at lunch time. The Police should take serious note of this and take some firm steps to avoid inconvenience to the public in future.

-Dr S Subramanya, BBMP Commissioner

CS should protect Palace

The Palce Grounds is vested with the government. It is already congested with too many structures. After the HC upheld the legislation which facilitated the acquisition of Bangalore Palace, a committee headed by the Chief Secretary was set up. Only the CS is authorised to give permission for holding activities in the ground. Why not the CS wake up to take care of the eco-sensitive lung space?

-M C Nanaiah, JD(S) MLC

DECLARE IT PROTECTED

A study conducted by Department of Environmental Science, Banglaore University, says that commercial and political activities in the Palace Grounds has affected bio-diversity in the arehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifa badly.

More than 80 per cent of the land in the upper north sector of the ground spread over 475 acres is devoid of permanent vegetation. The report said Palace Grounds is located in a place that can directly affect the health and lives of more than a million city dwellers living in the immediate surroundings.

Dr N Nandini, principal investigator of the study, said the study has recommended that the ground should be declared a protected area. The State Government should not allow commercial, industrial and service activities at the ground.