The recent order issued by the North Goa District Magistrate under Section 163, prohibiting assemblies of five or more persons at Azad Maidan, represents a troubling erosion of democratic freedoms.
This sweeping ban, coinciding with public opposition to the Mirabag Bandhara project, amounts to a draconian decree designed to silence dissent and undermines the democratic right to peaceful protest and expression.
Azad Maidan has historically been a space for citizens to voice their grievances, and curtailing this right erodes the very foundation of our democracy.
The authorities would do well to reconsider this authoritarian order and to uphold the constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens. Public consultation, transparency, and respect for democratic processes must guide governance, not decrees that silence the people.
