'Art can serve as alternative medium for voicing dissent and fuelling public discourse'

Bengaluru, Jun 17 (PTI) The use of art in voicing dissent was highlighted by speakers at a panel discussion here in the context of a recent court ruling that limits public protests to a designated space with a park.

Citizens for Sankey organised a panel discussion on 'Art as Activism: Creative Avenues for voicing dissent' in the light of the recent ruling by the Karnataka High Court that limits public protests in Bengaluru to a designated space within one park in the city.

Citizens for Sankey is a group consisting of civic activists and residents of Sadashivanagar, Vyalikaval and Malleswaram, formed initially to protest against the Sankey Road flyover project.

"Stifled by protest restrictions, our fight against the Sankey flyover last year forced creative ways of expressing dissent. Despite that, we faced FIRs. A year on, citizens continue to receive FIRs for exercising their constitutional right to peacefully protest. This is hugely problematic and prevents us citizens from participating in democracy, which is our right," Kimsuka Iyer of Citizens for Sankey said.

The recent court ruling, which states that protests can be held only after getting permission from the police, can also be problematic, claimed advocate Vinay Srinivas, one of the panelists.

"For over two years, police have restricted protests, public gatherings in any place other than Freedom Park, and have refused permission for processions. This has caused enormous hardship to all those seeking to exercise their constitutional rights and is against the very spirit of plural and diverse Karnataka where all citizens can make their concerns heard and felt," Sreenivasa alleged.

According to him, the Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021 designated Freedom Park as the only place for protests in the city.

"This rule has made it incredibly difficult, particularly for marginalised communities. What sense does it make for farmers from Devanahalli to travel to an isolated part of Freedom Park to voice their dissent?" Sreenivasa said.

Artist Shilo Shiv Suleman and poet and activist Mamta Sagar, also part of the panel, discussed the use of art in voicing dissent.

"We must protect and network political art. There are no institutions in the art world which allow for depicting the realities and reflections of communities through art, which is where the Fearless Foundation comes in. Our work is to show up in spaces of fear and isolation, and support communities as they reclaim and occupy public spaces with images and affirmations they choose," Suleman said.

"More than ever, there is a need for practising in collaboration with others, creating spaces, organising and calling out others to take action, this is the way forward," said Sagar. PTI JR SS