The Karnataka government’s decision to restrict the use of public spaces for meetings, rallies, and gatherings has come under criticism by citizen groups for its potential to disrupt all public and democratic activities.

The Government Order (GO) was stayed by the High Court on Tuesday, October 28, which said that prima facie, the GO took away the right conferred on the citizens as mentioned in the Constitution.

The Campaign for the Right to Protest argued that in its bid to restrict the divisive activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the government was curtailing the democratic freedoms of all citizens. The Campaign for the Right to Protest is a coalition of democratic and progressive groups and activists.

Expressing their concern about the state government’s decision to

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