The Andhra Pradesh government has banned all kinds of meetings, rallies, and processions on public roads, streets, and national highways, citing safety concerns, Indian media reported on Tuesday.
The ban comes after two separate events (on December 28 and January 1) called by former state chief Chandrababu Naidu, resulted in stampedes, claiming a total of 11 lives.
Later, the incidents also caused a political slugfest between the state's ruling Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSCRCP) and the opposition TDP.
TDP has alleged that the state government led be Jaganmohan Reddy has failed to provide adequate police measures to handle the crowd at the events. The ruling party responded by saying that events were held on narrow roads with no emergency exits, and lanes were so small that people were not able to stand.
"Public meetings on such roads cause huge inconvenience to the general public and the conduct of such public meetings also have proven to lead to injuries and deaths," the state government said.
"The authorities should avoid permitting meetings of public roads. Only in rare and exceptional circumstances permission for public meetings may be considered, with reasons recorded in writing," it added.
The state government further noted that police could suggest alternative locations to hold meetings and public gatherings so that traffic and the safety of commuters were not put at stake.
Although elections in India’s southern state Andhra Pradesh are scheduled for 2024, all three major state political parties — the YSRCP and the opposition parties such as the TDP and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) have begun high-pitch campaigns, mass contact programs, public meetings, and community-wide interactions.