#EndRidiculousRestrictions, fume angry Hyderabadis after Indira Park says ‘no entry for unmarried couples’

Hyderabadis heading to Indira Park on Thursday morning were in for a rude shock when they came across a signboard issued by the park management that read, “Unmarried couples are not allowed inside the park.” The sign sparked outrage among city folk who called it “utterly ridiculous” and a “complete violation of their constitutional rights”. Vijay Anirudh, a final year commerce student who had gone to the park with his friends, summed up the mood at Indira Park on Thursday, when he said, “Our exams are coming up and some of us friends come here to study or sometimes just to hang out. We don’t have the money to go out to cafes or restaurants each time and hence we meet at the park every now and then to hang out. Now they say we can’t do that unless we’re married. What is the logic behind this? It’s unfair and irresponsible on the part of the park authorities.” The signboard was later removed by GHMC following backlash by the citizens and on social media.

This rule is a violation of basic human rights: Activists
The signboard was brought to notice by activist

Meera Sanghamitra

on Thursday, who tagged GHMC mayor G Vijayalaxmi and said that the move was unconstitutional. “New low and new level of moral policing by Indira Park management in Hyderabad! A public park is an open space for all law-abiding citizens, including consenting couples across genders. How can ‘marriage’ be a criterion for entry! (sic),” Meera wrote.“Also, this is clearly an anti-working class move. Most couples who frequent Indira Park belong to lower, middle income categories. They cannot access hi-fi pubs & other costly spaces. Working class young couples have every right to access these parks. End Ridiculous Restrictions (sic).”

Meera’s post kicked up a storm on social media, with several activists slamming the park authorities for taking an unconstitutional decision. Speaking to

Hyderabad Times

, Gopi Krishna, activist and working president of IHRA(International Human Rights Association), Hyderabad, said, “A park is a public space and society as a whole should have access to it. You cannot make a rule that states only married people can enter a park. If the park authorities’ intention is to prevent unmarried couples from entering the premises, then that’s against basic human rights. No individual or public authority has the right to restrict entry to any couple based on their marital status. Such acts must be condemned in the strongest possible way.”

Agreeing, Brinda Adige, activist and member of

Global Concerns India

, adds, “This issue doesn’t lie with Indira Park alone but in many public parks across the country. Indira Park has put up this signboard today, but at many parks, authorities are asking for marital status of couples entering the park. This is absolutely outrageous and is an attempt to snatch away basic rights from people. More than unmarried couples, it’s people with such narrow minded mentality who turn out to be dangerous elements in society.”


How can GHMC decide where people can or cannot go? This is ridiculous and absurd: city folk
Expressing outrage over the incident, city folk say that such things can set a dangerous precedent in society. Filmmaker Elahe Hiptoola says, “This is in total violation of our basic rights. You simply cannot decide where people can go or cannot go. A park is a lung space and a recreational space and every human being should have an equal right to visit the park, without any discrimination. Today you’ll stop someone from entering a park, tomorrow it will be a café or a mall. Where does it end?” She adds, “I’m not a married woman. Does that mean I can’t now go to a park with a male friend? I don’t understand the logic behind such decisions. It’s completely idiotic and must be repealed immediately.”

Hyderabadis believe that the latest incident is just another attempt to curtail the freedom of citizens. “Back in the 80s, women had to fight for the basic right to visit a park or a garden. I was part of the group of women who protested back then. It’s so unfortunate that 30 years later, people still have to fight for something as basic as visiting a park with friends,” says Jameela Nishat, poet and feminist. She adds, “On what basis are they allowing entry only to ‘families’? Does that mean if you’re married, you can do whatever you want? Punish individuals as per law by all means but you have no right to discriminate. Just because someone is not married, they cannot be deprived of the right to visit a lung space.”

Agreeing, artist

Priyanka Aelay

, adds, “Many couples can’t afford to hang in cafés and malls. It is wrong to stop them from hanging out in a public space. Besides, how will you justify that you’re a married woman. I don’t wear a mangalsutra all the time, so if I go to a park with my husband, how will they know that I’m married? I don’t go out carrying my marriage certificate all the time. This is regressive and must be revoked.”


The banner has been taken down. We regret the inconvenience: GHMC
Later on Thursday, following severe backlash from city folk, the GHMC announced that the sign was removed. B

Srinivas Reddy

, Zonal Commissioner (Secunderabad), GHMC, said, “The banners were set up by lower officials and were promptly removed as soon as it came to my notice. I’ve informed the local police to keep vigil by making regular visits to the park and maintain a serene atmosphere. Any inconvenience cause to the public is regretted.”






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