“But after having examined that there is a large number of people who are for and against, we took a decision that both should not be allowed,” Rao said
Bengaluru: On Wednesday chief minister of Karnataka B.S.Yediyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government announced the imposition of Section 144 across Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka to disallow more agitation against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 or CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in India’s technology capital.
The move comes a day after protests happened in Delhi and other parts of North-Eastern India, especially Assam, where students and others have been continuously agitating against CAA and NRC as they believe it discriminates between people based on religion and goes against the secular pluralism of the Indian constitution.
“Section 144 imposed all over the Bangaluru but the city will be normal and all transport will available as usual. Don’t be panic. @CPBlr,” the Bengaluru police posted on Twitter on Wednesday.
On Thursday according to the notification, restrictions will come into effect from 6 am and will be applicable till midnight of 21 December or Saturday.
On Wednesday evening in a press conference, Bengaluru city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said that there will be no permissions given to protests or agitations of any kind in the city. Rao said that additional police personnel will be stationed in the city.
When questioned if the police were denying people their fundamental right to agitation, Rao said, “It is definitely against fundamental right, but a fundamental right stops when somebody else’s well being is affected.”
Rao said that there were many requests from groups–both for and against the CAA and seeking permissions for protests.
“But after having examined that there is a large number of people who are for and against, we took a decision that both should not be allowed,” Rao said.
Rao added “Taking into consideration what has happened in various parts of India where protests and processions have resulted in violent actions resulting in large scale law and order problems which has caused injury, death, police firing, buses being stoned, the property being destroyed. We do not want such a situation to take place in the city,”.
Though there were agitators against CAA and NRC the protest intensified after the incidents in Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University in which Delhi cops were accused of attacking students participating in peaceful protests against the new legislation.
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