HYDERABAD: The High Court on Wednesday reserved its orders on a petition filed by the state unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad challenging the decision of Hyderabad police to refuse permission for its proposed Sree Rama Rath Yatra covering various districts of the state for 11 days starting on March 23. Justice M Seetharama Murti was dealing with the petition filed by VHP-Telangana, represented by its secretary M Gal Reddy, with a plea for staying the rejection order of the Hyderabad police for the above yatra.
Petitioner’s counsel N Harinath Reddy told the court that they had made a representation to the police authorities concerned on March 15 seeking permission for the yatra which was initially proposed to commence on Ugadi New Year day i.e. on March 18 from Basara and to conclude on Hanuman Jayanti on March 31 at Tadbund Hanuman temple in Secunderabad. The yatra is intended to propagate Hindu dharma among the rural youth. However, the police refused to grant permission for the yatra citing law and order problem and the ongoing annual examinations. In fact, the rejection was intended to obstruct VHP activities in state, he alleged.
Intervening, the judge asked the counsel to tell about the number of people and vehicles that would take part in the proposed yatra. In reply, the counsel said that it was not a people’s yatra and a maximum of 10 people would take part in it. When the yatra reaches a village the local people would join it till it crossed the village border, he explained.
State’s special counsel S Sharat Kumar told the court that as per the intelligence reports there was scope for rise of law and order problem if permission was granted to it. The proposed yatra was intended to create extreme fear and a sense of insecurity among the minorities. Though it was claimed that the yatra was intended to propagate religious principles the main intention would be different. All details would be placed before the court after getting division-wise and district-wise information on the issue, he added. After hearing both sides, justice Murti reserved his orders till Thursday.