Art as Activism: Resisting Restrictions in Bengaluru

Speakers at a panel discussion organized by Citizens for Sankey highlighted creative ways to voice dissent amidst recent restrictions on public protests in Bengaluru. The Karnataka High Court's ruling limits protests to a designated area within Freedom Park, posing challenges, especially for marginalized communities.

The use of art to voice dissent came to the forefront during a recent panel discussion in light of a controversial court ruling restricting public protests to a designated space in Bengaluru. Citizens for Sankey, a civic activist group, organized the panel titled 'Art as Activism: Creative Avenues for Voicing Dissent' following the Karnataka High Court's decision to limit public protests to one park in the city.

The group, consisting of residents and activists from various Bengaluru neighborhoods, initially formed to oppose the Sankey Road flyover project. 'While fighting against the flyover last year, stringent protest restrictions forced us to explore creative expressions of dissent, but we were met with FIRs,' said Kimsuka Iyer of Citizens for Sankey. 'It's problematic as it hinders citizens from participating in democracy, a fundamental right.'

Legal and civic experts on the panel, including advocate Vinay Srinivas, criticized the recent court ruling for requiring police permission for protests, claiming it contradicts Karnataka's pluralistic spirit. 'For over two years, restrictions on protests outside Freedom Park have posed significant challenges, especially for marginalized communities,' Srinivas observed. Artist Shilo Shiv Suleman and poet Mamta Sagar emphasized the role of art in protests, advocating for collective action and networked political art.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)