Police Inspector of Market Police Station, Ramesh Gokak issued a directive on Sunday to the management of the Kannanda Sahitya Bhavan at Rani hannamma Circle imposing restrictions that the latter would not facilitate its premises for seminars, symposiums, meetings, programmes and even press conferences without the permission of the police station.
The incident came to light when a RTI activist Bhimappa Gadad approached KSB to facilitate one of its halls for holding a press meet on Sunday. But, the KSB Director R.B. Katti denied him citing the directive. The KSB has been making available its premises for various functions, programmes, press conferences, religious and cultural programmes, seminars, workshops and even family functions for a nominal rent for the past several years. It was for the first time that the police have imposed inconvenient restrictions, Mr. Gadad said.
The restrictions issued on January 29, have created an impression that the police was turning dictatorial in dealing with public in sharp contrast with the often trumpeted public-friendly police and people-friendly police stations, he said.
However, Mr. Gokak said he issued the directive out of his own volition in view of the certain events held at KSB premises hurt peace and harmony in the city. He said the police was not against public or programmes and meetings organised by various organisations.
The objective behind his directive was to ensure that the KSB informed the concerned police station about all programmes and meetings (except religious and cultural) so as to enable the police to take preventive measures, which becomes inevitable in some cases. We want that the KSB management inform the police whenever it rents out its premises to organisations and individuals for holding various programmes.
