Bengaluru police allowed a Tiranga march from Puttanna Chetty Town Hall to the Quit India Memorial on Kempegowda Road on Friday, but prohibited protest slogans and placards during the procession and at its concluding venue.
The march was organised jointly by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and Jagruta Karnataka to protest the detention of youngsters for unfurling the Indian flag, demand electoral reforms and seek the release of protesters detained in Delhi. Hundreds of students, activists and CJP members gathered at Town Hall around 4.30pm and proceeded towards the memorial despite persistent rain.
Police approval was granted subject to conditions, after reports that permission had initially been denied. The restrictions barred slogans against any political party, organisation, community or individual, as well as the display of protest placards at the venue. Police warned that violations could invite legal action, citing a Karnataka High Court order restricting protests, processions and similar activities in Bengaluru to Freedom Park.
Before the march, participants demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. They also sought the release of CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Abhijeet Dipke.
Avani Choksi, a lawyer who attended the gathering, said participants were concerned about the situation in the country and wanted the resistance to include people beyond Delhi. Clifton D’Rozario, a CPI(ML) central committee member, said the central demands were the withdrawal of SIR and the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.
At the Quit India Memorial, participants wrapped the pillar in tricolour flags, recited poems and later sang K’naan’s ‘Wavin’ Flag’ before the national anthem. The crowd dispersed at around 6pm. Some participants alleged that plainclothes police officers intervened when slogans were raised at the memorial, although the issue was resolved quickly. Lawyers among the participants said officers in plain clothes should identify themselves while carrying out such duties.
Despite the march taking place through central Bengaluru during peak traffic hours on a working day, the procession caused little to no traffic disruption, according to the report. Dozens of police officers used ropes to separate marchers from moving traffic, while heavy deployment and continuous surveillance were maintained along the route. No major clashes between police and participants were reported.
Media personnel were stopped from entering the Quit India Memorial until all participants had arrived. The restrictions meant that the march proceeded as a managed public procession rather than an unrestricted protest, placing the route, crowd movement and permitted forms of expression under police control.
A separate awareness gathering against the nationwide anti-SIR protests was held near Jayanagar Ganapathi Temple by the BJP-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. ABVP members criticised the CJP and opposition parties, saying any change of government should take place through democratic means. The parallel gathering attracted members of right-wing organisations who opposed the march.
