Bhopal: In a move to ensure undisturbed traffic in Bhopal, the police here has banned sit-ins, demonstrations, strikes, provocations, and burning of effigies in the city at prominent places for a month and a half citing traffic jams. The order does not specify another site for protests.
Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar issued the order Monday under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), making Polytechnic Square, Akashvani Square, Kilol Park Square and the roads leading to them demonstrative zones.
As per the order these intersections are along the important way in which important places like the airport, Hamidia hospital and Gandhi medical college are interconnected. The police stated that it was the only convenient route and there was no suitable alternative.
Authorities regularly get applications from communities, organisations, political parties, committee and delegations to hold protests at Polytechnic Square, Kumar said. The council said these events interfere with traffic, create significant public disruption, and are generally bad for the community.
Police also pointed to the activity of ambulances, fire brigades and VVIPs and VPIs movements running around in the area. A delay due to the demonstrations may put patients at risk as it may block emergency medical services, the order added.
The commissioner in his exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 163(1) of the BNSS, deemed the following activities to be in the restricted area: the activities of getting into or out of the vessel, boarding it, disembarking, jumping over it, passing through it, landing on it, and taking off from it. The order, under section 163(2), will come into force for a two-month period from its coming into operation. A violation could result in legal problems.
Congress leader Anand Jat criticized the decision after alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is trying to silence the people’s voice. It is a restriction that wouldn’t stop people from expressing their concerns, Jat said.
The move comes amid protests over electoral issues elsewhere in the country. Earlier this month tens of thousands of people were reportedly assembled in the Indian capital of Delhi in demand for resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral list and to end the exercise.