With agitations organised by political parties or organisations within the city limits becoming a regular affair, law enforcers have identified spots for organising public meetings, demonstrations, hunger fast, and procession, in future for better regulation. This has been done to ensure that there was no hindrance to public and vehicular movements due to the agitations. Separate places for conducting public meetings and demonstrations, and for observing hunger fasts in all the four ranges – Cantonment, Golden Rock, Fort and Srirangam – have been chosen by the city police authorities.
21 places
In all, 21 places have been identified for conducting public meetings in the city limits: four in Cantonment range; seven in Golden Rock range and five each in Fort and Srirangam ranges.
The permitted places for conducting public meetings include Rajaram Salai, G. Corner, V.O.C. Thidal in Ponmalaipatti, Thiru Vi. Ka. Thidal, Melakalkandarkottai, Sedal Mariyamman temple ground, Uzhavar Santhai ground, Kora street junction and Keerakadai bazaar.
The 18 places identified for staging demonstrations include Khadi Kraft junction, old Collectorate road, G. Corner, near Anna statue in Chinthamani, near Ramakrishna over bridge, Devi Theatre junction in Srirangam, Thiruvanaikoil four pillar mandapam and Nehruji Nagar – northern side in Ariyamangalam.
Only four places, including Khadi Kraft junction and Anna Statue in Chinthamani have been permitted for observing hunger fast.
The places were discussed and identified at a meeting chaired by the Commissioner of Police Shailesh Kumar Yadav and attended by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic), Assistant Commissioners of Police of the four ranges, and Assistant Commissioners of Police (Traffic) on Tuesday.
The spots had been identified taking into account the directions of the courts and keeping in mind the need to ensure free public and traffic movement, say police sources. A senior police officer said no form of agitation or public meeting would be allowed on the Puthur Four Road.
As a next step, the city police will convene an all-party meeting to elicit their suggestions on the places identified by them for public meeting, demonstration, fasting and procession. The views and suggestions of the political parties would be ascertained and a final decision taken thereafter, say the sources.
The jurisdictional inspector’s permission was required for any party or organisation to stage demonstration, while the consent of the jurisdictional Assistant Commissioner of Police was required for organising public meeting or hunger fast. The permission of the Deputy Commissioner of Police was necessary for taking out a procession.
The sources say every request for conduct of demonstration, hunger fast, procession and public meeting would be brought to the notice of the Commissioner of Police.
The city witnessed over 370 demonstrations by political parties, farmers and students’ organisations and others in 2012. Picketing agitations exceeded 40, while the number of rail rokos and processions taken out were 11 and 16 respectively during the same period, according to police statistics.
