Cubbon Reads, a popular reading community in Bengaluru, has accused the Department of Horticulture of harassment during their recent Secret Santa event at Cubbon Park. The group, which has been gathering every Saturday since March 2023, released a statement on Monday, refuting claims made by the authorities and sharing their experience.
The controversy unfolded when park authorities intervened during the group’s pre-Christmas meetup, which involved exchanging gift-wrapped books as part of a Secret Santa event. The officials accused the group of conducting a commercial activity and, according to the community, confiscated the books, escorted two curators to the Horticulture Department office, and threatened them with fines of up to ₹60,000.
Cubbon Reads clarified that their gatherings have always been informal, with anyone welcome to join or leave at any time. They emphasized that no commercial activities take place at these events, and no fees are charged. The group also disputed the department’s claim that over 1,000 people attended the event, stating that the number of attendees was closer to 450, which is typical for their gatherings.
The situation escalated when park officials forcefully demanded identification cards from the curators, threatened them with FIRs, and insisted on immediate action from curators who were out of town. Despite these claims, the group denied any concerns regarding littering, stating that their curators made multiple rounds to ensure the park remained clean after the event.
The Department of Horticulture defended its actions, citing the need to regulate public spaces and disallow events they deemed commercial or religious. However, Cubbon Reads questioned the logic behind restricting the use of the term “Santa” and the lack of prior communication about event restrictions.