The controversy began with Cubbon Reads, a community group, inviting people to participate in a Secret Santa book exchange for the 101st edition of its gathering.
Published Dec 27, 2024 | 7:31 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 27, 2024 | 7:31 PM
The fine line between public safety and personal freedom. (South First)
Cubbon Park, one of Bengaluru’s most iconic green spaces, has long been a hub for residents and tourists to rest and escape the hustle and noise of the city.
However, recent events have sparked a debate on the fine balance between public safety and the freedom of citizens to engage in community activities within public spaces.
The controversy began with Cubbon Reads, a community group, inviting people to participate in a Secret Santa book exchange for the 101st edition of its gathering on 21 December. Attendees brought wrapped books to exchange, only for horticulture authorities to intervene.
What followed was a heated exchange, ending with the authorities walking away with the wrapped books.
This seemingly harmless gathering has sparked a larger conversation — how much is too much when it comes to regulating public spaces?
Cubbon Park Horticulture Department Deputy Director Kusuma G defended the authorities’ actions, stressing the importance of safety and park conservation.
“The story has been blown out of proportion. Yes, there are restrictions, but they exist to ensure the safety of the park and visitors,” she told South First.
According to Kusuma, the department often stops joggers and walkers from wandering in dark areas after 8 pm, citing safety concerns.
“Additionally, events in the park are regulated through a fee of ₹30,000 with a refundable deposit of ₹20,000. Someone recently claimed online that we demanded a ₹50,000 bribe. This is false. Unfortunately, such narratives gain traction following incidents like the Cubbon Reads episode,” Kusuma added.
She clarified that the authorities were unaware of the gathering organised by Cubbon Reads. “If they had informed us and sought permission, this could have been avoided. We have permitted many cultural events in the past,” she noted, citing a similar case at Lalbagh where a similar request was denied, and participants were redirected to Cubbon Park.
She explained that they have to ensure the park remains safe and accessible. “We don’t stop events due to their nature but because of the lack of prior notice and the crowd size.”
The department insisted that their actions were not targeted at the event itself but at the fact that no prior permission was obtained for a gathering of over 20 people, which is required by park regulations.
“The group of people gathered in a queue, and we had to act for safety reasons,” Kusuma said. “We clarified that the books would be returned after being checked, but the online narrative has painted us in a negative light.”
Umesh, President of the Cubbon Park Walkers Association, echoed Kusuma’s sentiments, highlighting the need to protect the park from overuse.
“There are benches for reading, but visitors often place mats on the grass, damaging it. The park spends crores on maintenance. These restrictions apply to everyone, not selectively,” he explained to South First.
Umesh acknowledged the allure of reading in nature but pointed out that Cubbon Park houses a central library accessible to all visitors. “A sudden influx of 300-400 people disrupts the park’s environment. We welcome events but urge organisers to seek permission in advance.”
He also defended bans on commercial activities like photoshoots, stating, “Photographers profit from pre-wedding shoots, often disrupting park-goers.”
He also highlighted that Cubbon Park is a popular tourist destination and often hosts large gatherings, which can become difficult to manage without prior coordination.
However, Kathyayini Chamaraj, Executive Trustee at CIVIC-Bangalore, voiced her concerns over the restrictions to South First. “Why are authorities cracking down on harmless events like a book exchange while ignoring more serious societal issues?” she questioned.
“There are so few public spaces left in Bengaluru, and people should be allowed to gather and enjoy nature without being penalised for innocent activities.”
Kathyayini acknowledged security concerns due to Cubbon Park’s proximity to the high court and Vidhana Soudha but advocated for a nuanced approach. “Create boundaries around sensitive areas but allow families and civil groups to enjoy the park. Bengaluru has few open spaces left. We must encourage, not stifle, community engagement.”
She also mentioned that Cubbon Park’s vastness should allow people to engage in these social activities without disrupting the space. “These events are harmless, and we should be encouraging citizens to commune with one another, not restricting them,” she said.
“We need to focus on tackling more serious issues, like hate speech and divisive rhetoric, instead of targeting peaceful gatherings.”
In the face of this controversy, it is clear that the issue lies not in the nature of the event itself but in how public spaces like Cubbon Park are managed.
The debate between safety regulations and the desire for communal engagement remains unresolved, and questions of how far authorities should go in controlling public gatherings will likely continue to stir discussions. The challenge lies in striking a balance that respects both perspectives.
Clarifying the incident, Cubbon Reads said on Instagram that the community has been gathering at the park every Sunday since 2023, reading together.
“Our gatherings are anything but a private event, as anyone can join, one can come and leave anytime, they can read anything they wish to, they don’t even have to commit to attendance. They are not the same as registered events like marathons that happen with prior registration and tickets. We don’t even collect the database of attendees through forms,” it said.
It said that the curators have been organising silent reading gatherings for over 100 weekends now, and over 200-300 people have shown up each time.
“Not once have the park authorities had an issue with us coming there to read, stacking books and taking group pictures with hundreds of us huddled. We did not anticipate that readers coming together with gift-wrapped books would invite suspicion from the park authorities, forcing them to snatch the belongings and unwrap gift covers – only to find harmless books inside.”
“The Department of Horticulture claimed that there were 1000 attendees. That’s not true. We have documentary evidence that the last numbered book was 351 as we counted the gift-wrapped books there. Assuming some more people visiting the park joined in to see what was going on, at max there were 450 odd people, which is usual for Cubbon Reads.”
“Nowhere in the rules before yesterday’s (22 December) press release has the Department of Horticulture specified a number on a group of people that is allowed. If it were, Cubbon Reads should have been stopped in February 2023 itself, when over 20 readers came to the park to read and later huddled together for a group photo for the first time.”
“In a report by Deccan Herald, the Deputy Director has been quoted as saying: ‘The nature of the event also matters. She said, “Marathons, walkathons, yoga sessions, and book readings are allowed, but we do not permit events like religious activities.’ Using the word ‘Santa’ in a meet-up does not make it religious,” it said.
The curators said they met Horticulture Department authorities in their office. “They have regretted the way it was handled from their side, and have offered to make Cubbon Park a safe space for readers to meet again.”
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
