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Bengaluru, Dec 24 (PTI) Using the word 'Santa' in a meet-up does not make it religious, organisers of 'Cubbon Reads' defend, as their 'Secret Santa Saturday', organised on December 21 at Cubbon Park ended with books being confiscated by park authorities.
One of the reasons provided by the authorities for confiscating books is that 'no religious activities are allowed inside the park'.
Since March 2023, every Saturday, between 9am and 2pm, people drop in with a mat and book, joining others already there, and read. The community, founded by Harsh Shehanshu and Shruti Sah, called themselves Cubbon Reads.
It has spawned not only many reading groups in other parks of Bengaluru, such as Lalbagh Reads, but also communities such as Cubbon Paints and Cubbon Runs. The book reading movement spread to other cities, as well – Juhu Reads in Mumbai and Lodhi Reads in Delhi. According to the information provided at its social media platforms, the movement has gone global and has now reached 70-plus cities.
With Christmas round the corner, for their 101st edition, Cubbon Reads organisers had invited people to come with a wrapped book to participate in the Secret Santa book exchange. But horticulture authorities intervened thinking they were selling the books. The heated exchange ended with the authorities walking away with the wrapped books.
"As is customary during our meet-ups every Saturday, there was nothing extraordinary than our usual editions, apart from the books being gift wrapped," said the organisers in their press note.
The community organisers also refuted the allegations that over 1,000 people had gathered on December 21.
"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," stated the press release.
The organisers alleged that the authorities first took two of their curators to the Department of Horticulture office.
"The department officials were hostile and thought that Cubbon Reads was selling books to the public and using a public space to make money. The security guards there were talking about imposing fines from anywhere between Rs 25,000 and Rs 60,000," according to the press note.
The incident has sparked a huge debate on social media, with many standing up for the movement that marked Cubbon Park as the city's favourite reading spot since March 2023.
Former Infosys CFO, T V Mohandas Pai chipped in with his experience at the park, saying that the guards are rude and push citizens around.
Tagging deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Pai said "Cubbon Park officials should not harass citizens who are quietly enjoying their park. I was abused too when walking," on his X account. He also advised the deputy chief minister to instruct officials not to harass citizens.
BJP LS MP for Bangalore Central PC Mohan, who had also previously posted about the Cubbon Reads in June 2023, congratulating the initiative, also spoke up for the community.
"The Cubbon Park incident highlights the need for balance between community events and regulatory responsibilities. Public spaces are vital for fostering connection, but organisers must ensure proper permissions and accountability. Officials, too, should act with professionalism," he posted on X on Tuesday.
Incidentally, Lalbagh Reads too had a run-in with authorities in September last year. According to news reports, the horticulture department issued a directive to halt the reading club inside Lalbagh Botanical Garden, stating that mats on grass tamper with the growth of natural fauna and flora.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
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