Withdraw order mandating permission for events at SVK: HRF to DGP

Hyderabad: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) has written to the Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) after it was told that prior permission would be required to hold its annual K Balagopal memorial talk at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram (SVK) at Chikadpally. The HRF stated that SVK has informed it that the Chikkadpally police is insisting on prior permission before holding any events.

According to the HRF, when it approached SVK to book the hall for its annual lecture in memory of activist K Balagopal, the person in-charge of the auditorium reportedly informed HRF members that mandatory permission is required for the same.

“The management informed us about a letter that was issued to the Sundarayya Trust in Sundarayya Vignana Kendram by the Station House Officer of Chikkadpally police station to not allow booking for the seminar halls without prior permission from Chikkadpally police authorities,” said the HRF in the letter to the DGP.

Stating that this move is “shocking”, the HRF reminded the DGP that Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy said in the Assembly that he would strengthen democratic norms in the state. “The letter to the Sundarayya Trust by the Chikkadpally police violates this assurance. It undermines the right to free expression and speech that are fundamental guarantees in our constitution,” added the HRF.

Concluding its letter, the HRF asked the DGP to withdraw the “controversial” order of the Chikkadpally police. It may the noted that in the past under the previous BRS governments, the police was also earlier accused of carrying out similar diktats, but events at SVK had never been reportedly controlled like this. It is to be seen how the government responds to this.