Hyderabad: More than a month after the Andhra Pradesh government passed an order (GO-1) directing the police to regulate public meetings on the road, the directive continues to be a bone of contention between the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government and opposition parties, with the latter calling it a “draconian rule” aimed at “stopping them from connecting with the masses”.
The order restricting public meetings on road was passed by the Andhra government in January, following the death of eight people in a stampede at Kandukuru in Nellore district, during a former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu’s roadshow in December.
The order has been challenged in the state High Court, which has reserved judgment on the same.
The TDP has been most vocal against the order. Last week TDP workers clashed with police after Naidu was stopped from holding a meeting on a road in East Godavari district. The police have registered a case against Naidu and other TDP leaders for violating GO-1.
TDP leaders showed ThePrint police permission which had been previously obtained for the former CM’s 17 February roadshow in Anaparthi village in East Godavari, but said the police later stopped them claiming that the party’s meetings obstructed the traffic. A rally without disturbing any traffic flow can be held, but meetings or public gatherings on roads which violate the order, particularly those that disrupt traffic, cannot be held, they quoted the police as saying.
Naidu eventually walked a few kilometres to reach his destination.
“I walked 7 km to reach Anaparthi. Why am I being stopped, have I come from Pakistan? The police had given us permission earlier, but it looks like they can cancel the given permission any time,” an angry Naidu said while addressing the crowd in Anaparthi village.
He further alleged: “This psycho CM (Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy) is putting pressure on cops. Have we ever stopped Jagan’s padayatra (when he was in the opposition), why are there so many restrictions now?”
The former CM further said, “Jagan’s rule must go.”
Naidu also raised the subject in a letter to state director general of police Monday, alleging police were creating hurdles in their meetings. ThePrint has seen the letter.
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“Roadshow obstructed traffic”
East Godavari superintendent of police Sudhir Kumar has told the media that the roadshow, which also included Naidu addressing a crowd, was blocking traffic and was in violation of GO-1. An alternate location was suggested to hold the meeting, but the TDP went ahead with their plan, he added.
Y.S. Jagan government order restricts public meetings and gatherings meetings on municipal and panchayat roads, state highways and national highways.
Citing the provisions of the Police Act, 1861, the order noted how the police have powers to regulate such meetings. It asked the police to not permit meetings on roads that involved huge public gatherings.
Referring to December’s stampede deaths in its order, the government said holding meetings on public roads or road margins, is ‘leading to deaths”, and creating traffic obstructions. It takes hours for the police to bring the situation under control, it pointed out.
“It is the police machinery of the state which is empowered under the law to regulate the said activity in public interest, while being cognisant of the fact that there is a fundamental right to peaceful assembly under Article 19(1)(b) of the Constitution. The right to conduct a public meeting on public roads and streets is a subject matter of regulation as the Section 30 of Police Act, 1861 itself mandates,” the order, a copy of which is with ThePrint, said.
Taking into consideration the frequency of such public meetings, especially by political parties, and the huge congregations of people likely to attend it, the order stated, “it is necessary that due regard be given to the recent incidents of loss of life”.
The order noted that national and state highways are designed for high-speed connectivity across the country and any disruption on highways has ripple effects on movement of logistics across the state and country. Which is why it is better to not allow meetings on state highways.
Municipal roads and panchayat roads are narrow and are meant for free movement of local population and any obstruction owing to meetings on roads endangers lives and disrupts civic life, the order said, indicating that permissions for meetings on such roads must also be restricted.
“Only in rare and exceptional circumstances and if reasons for the same are given in writing, the grant of permission for public meetings on public roads may be considered,” the order said.
Even while dealing with such rare cases, the police must consider the width of roads, duration of meeting, location of venue, exit points and other factors before granting permission.
“Draconian rule”
Claiming the order was “nothing but trying to cut down the opposition from reaching out to people”, TDP leader Pattabhi Ram while talking to ThePrint, termed it “Jagan’s draconian law”
Ram added: “Under Naidu’s rule, not only Jagan but even his late father Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (former Chief Minister) held rallies and padayatras (walkathon). Did we anytime impose such rules. Even Jagan, in the run-up to 2019 Andhra polls, held a massive padayatra. Did we stop, anytime? Then why such rules for us?”
“We’re just asking the Chief Minister to have a democratic rule, this is very undemocratic,” he further said.
Sources from the TDP, told ThePrint, that the order was issued in January to “create hurdles in the padayatra” by Naidu’s son and TDP leader Nara Lokesh. Lokesh set out on a 4000 km padayatra on 27 January to better connect with the masses.
“The order was passed just weeks before Lokesh was supposed to start his padayatra on January 27, clearly creating hurdles for his walkathon. The cops, at any time, can obstruct him from holding meetings or continue with his rally citing this brutal government order. We’re all very cautious. I am sure the rules do not apply to the ruling party. When their turn comes to hold meetings or rallies, they will list it as an ‘exceptional case’ and obtain permission, misusing power,” said a senior leader, on condition of anonymity.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has also spoken against the order, with BJP leader and the party’s former state chief secretary I.Y.R. Krishna Rao saying, “I do not remember seeing such orders earlier anytime. But given the background of stampedes, maybe we should give some benefit of doubt to the government. That being said, the police should be able to regulate that situation and instead of regulating, they cannot just say there is no choice and impose restrictions.”
(Edited by Geethalakshmi Ramanathan)
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