BJP-led Thiruvananthapuram Corporation denies permission for cultural event at Manaveeyam Veedhi

A protest meeting being held at the Manaveeyam Veedhi in the capital. File Photo | Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN / THE HINDU The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has denied permission for a cultural programme at Manaveeyam Veedhi featuring singer Pushpavathy as part of the silver jubilee celebrations of the capital’s cultural corridor on Saturday. A collective of cultural activists who have been active at Manaveeyam since its inception accused Mayor V.V. Rajesh of attempting to curtail freedom of expression.Veteran theatre artist D. Raghoothaman, who submitted the application for permission, told The Hindu on Friday that the collective had submitted the application for permission at the Corporation well in advance on November 3.“Never in the past has anyone been denied permission for organising programmes at Manaveeyam. The procedure for permission was introduced only a few years ago after the street was renovated under the Smart City project. Even so, the process was only a mere formality. However, now the Mayor has started rejecting applications arbitrarily. Corporation officials had earlier informed us that no other programmes are scheduled and that the file had reached the Secretary’s desk. We had made all arrangements expecting permission, but now we are forced to cancel it because the Museum police will not give us permission to use microphone unless the Corporation clears the event,” he said.The simmering issues at Manaveeyam Veedhi came out into the open on October 16 when the Museum Police attempted to seize a microphone ahead of a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Later, the Corporation made clear its intent to make the Street “protest-free” and to keep it limited to cultural activities, leading to protests by cultural activists who have been part of the street’s activities for a long time. CPI(M) leaders have maintained that the Manaveeyam Veedhi is a road under the Public Works department (PWD) and that its management rights have never been transferred to the Municipal Corporation.Appeal to re-notify streetCultural activists at Manaveeyam are now planning to submit a memorandum to the State government to renotify the street as under the control of the Culture department, removing the Corporation from the equation.“Manaveeyam is the only place in the city where artists or activists from economically backward or marginalised sections can make their voices heard without paying exorbitant fees to take a hall or space on rent. But now with the Corporation clamping down even on cultural programmes here, we will be left with no space to go to. Such moves will be resisted,” said Mr. Ragoothaman.Mayor Rajesh was not available for comment. Published - November 13, 2026 08:57 pm IST