BENGALURU: The cabinet Thursday cleared a bill making prior govt nod mandatory for organising private functions, rallies and meetings on govt premises in the state.While the move is being seen as an attempt by the Congress govt to put the brakes on RSS activities, CM D K Shivakumar insisted that it is “not being considered for any one party or organisation”.Karnataka Regulation of Use of Government Premises and Public Property Bill, 2026, will be introduced during the ongoing Monsoon session of the legislature. Once enacted, it will apply to all public gatherings, including RSS ‘baithaks’ (meetings) and ‘sanchalanas’ (route marches) held on public land.It seeks to replace an earlier executive order that ran into legal hurdles after Karnataka HC stayed it and directed authorities to assess requests on a case-by-case basis. Congress govt in Karnataka and RSS have been at loggerheads over the latter’s marches and meetings on public property.Shivakumar said: “There needs to be proper documentation for events. Be it you or me, we cannot barge on to the streets according to our whims and fancies. Even our minister Krishna Byre Gowda has taken permission to conduct Freedom Habba.”
