'I was abused too': Ex-Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai slams Bengaluru's Cubbon Park authorities for harassing readers

Pai urged officials to ensure that the park remains a safe and welcoming space for all visitors.

Mohandas Pai, the former Infosys CFO, has strongly criticized the alleged harassment faced by Cubbon Reads members, specifically in relation to a recent incident involving the reading community.

Mohandas Pai, former Infosys CFO.(Abhijit Bhatlekar/ Mint)

Pai expressed his outrage, stating that the actions of the park authorities were "very, very wrong" and called for a stop to the harassment of peaceful park-goers. He shared that even he had been verbally abused while walking in the park, criticizing the rudeness of the guards. Pai urged officials to ensure that the park remains a safe and welcoming space for all visitors.

Check out his post here:

What is the controversy about?

The controversy erupted on Saturday when Cubbon Reads, a local reading group that has been meeting every week since March 2023, faced intervention from the Department of Horticulture during their Secret Santa event. The community, which promotes a relaxed, open atmosphere for reading and socializing in the park, was conducting its annual pre-Christmas book exchange when park officials accused them of holding a commercial event.

The group released a statement on Monday, refuting the allegations and detailing their experience. They clarified that their gatherings are entirely informal, with anyone welcome to join or leave at any time. The members emphasized that no commercial activity takes place at their meetings, and the group has been hosting similar events without issue since its inception.

Despite this, the authorities took action, seizing the books being exchanged and escorting two of the event’s curators to the Horticulture Department's office. According to the group, they were threatened with fines amounting to ₹60,000. The department defended its actions, claiming the need to regulate public spaces to avoid unauthorized activities. Deputy Director M. Vijayalakshmi explained that while events like marathons and book readings are permitted, they do not allow activities perceived as commercial or religious in nature. She suggested that the use of the term "Santa" in the event’s name may have triggered the intervention.

The incident has raised concerns among park visitors and citizens, with many questioning the way public spaces are managed and whether the authorities' actions were justified.