BENGALURU: After the City Police Commissioner refused permission to hold a New Year’s eve event featuring Bollywood actress Sunny Leone, the organisers are seeking a review of the decision.
Harish M S, managing director of the advertising firm ‘Time Creations’ which is organising the event, tried to meet Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Saturday, but was not able to do so. He will now try to meet him on Sunday.
Reddy did not want to comment on the issue. Sources close to the minister said, “Some of the women’s organisations opposed the event and threatened that they would hold a protest at the premises on the same day if the police gave permission, and that is the reason for rejecting permission. So the event will not take place on the occasion of New Year.”
However, Vimala K S, a women’s rights activist, said she did not accept the police’s decision. “We are not fans of Sunny Leone, and the programme may not have any connection with gender sensitivity. Even then, the reason for not giving permission is ridiculous. This means no big programmes can be held in Bengaluru. This is unacceptable,” she said.
Harish said, “I want them to give me in writing on what grounds they have denied permission for the event. They mentioned law-and-order issue, let them give me the same in writing. That is the procedure to be followed.” He added that once he receives in writing the grounds on which permission to the event was denied, he will then decide his response.
“The DCP on Thursday verbally told me that permission will not be given due to some reason. Now the Commissioner is saying it is a law-and-order problem. Let them stick to one reason,” he said.
The estimated expenditure on the event by Harish’s firm, inclusive of all expenses, is Rs 1.5-1.7 crore. And Harish said they stand to lose most of that amount in the event of its cancellation.
Commissioner said the permission was denied based on Friday’s High Court directions. The HC had directed the police to ensure no untoward incident took place in view of the alleged mass molestation on Dec 31, 2016. “So, we have concentrated on providing proper security arrangements across the city,” he said.
Harish said until he gets the official communication in writing, tickets for the event would continue to be sold. Advertisements of the event are also being relayed on FM radio stations.