New Delhi: Former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi has proposed a series of measures for managing public protests, suggesting that Ram Lila Ground should be designated as the primary venue for agitations. She shared the recommendations during an interview with ANI on Thursday.
Bedi said that permissions for protests should be granted only for Ram Lila Ground, citing its adequate space to accommodate large gatherings. She added that such a move would help protect Connaught Place from vandalism and public disruption, even when demonstrations are intended to be peaceful.
She further stated that another key reason for shifting protest venues is to keep demonstrators away from the gates of Parliament House, describing it as an important step for ensuring national security.
On policing, Bedi recommended that the first and second lines of defence during protests should consist of Civil Defence personnel and women police officers, instead of adopting what she described as the “British colonial style” of armed lathi-charge policing. She said that riot police should be deployed only as a last resort and only when the situation demands it.
The former IPS officer also advocated the use of drones linked to police control rooms to monitor demonstrations in real time. According to her, live aerial surveillance would help accurately record both the actions of protesters and the response of police personnel, ensuring greater transparency and accountability.
Additionally, Bedi suggested the use of technology-based facial recognition systems to identify individuals involved in unlawful activities during protests. She said that if such individuals have existing criminal records, authorities should pursue legal action, including cancellation of their bail and forfeiture of their sureties, in accordance with the law.