KALABURGI: Kalaburagi Bench of Karnataka High Court on Thursday gave conditional permission to Rashtriya Swayamsevaka Sangha (RSS) to conduct Patha Sanchalana (Route March) at Chittapur on November 16.
When the court commenced hearing on Thursday afternoon, senior advocate of RSS Arun Sham brought to the notice of the court chaired by High Court Judge Justice M G Shukure Kamal about readiness of RSS to conduct Patha Sanchalana at Chittapur on November 16 evening.
Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty, represented Kalaburagi district administration, did not object to RSS conducting route march on November 16 but pleaded the court to put certain conditions.
He asked the court to restrict the number of volunteers participating in the Patha Sanchalana to 300, but Arun Sham pleaded to give permission to 600 volunteers. Court instructed the RSS to restrict the number of volunteers to 300. When the RSS sought permission for 50 more persons who would play the band, court consented to it.
The court said the RSS should conduct Patha Sanchalana from 3.30 to 5.45 pm along the route given by police, and should maintain law and order during the route march. The court also permitted the volunteers to hold Patha Sanchalan in their uniform.
Chittapur Tahasildar Nagaiah Hiremath told TNIE that, as the RSS is conducting route march on Sunday evening, it would not be a law and order problem as most of the marriages will conclude by afternoon on that day.
To a question, Hiremath said that the Taluk administration would convene another peace meeting inviting all the organisations which have applied for conducting route march (except RSS), and would place before them the High Court direction and would ask them to conduct route march on different date and if they agree, the dates would be fixed.
The sources said that as RSS went to court against the district administration, the court took up the issue of RSS only and gave the direction.
District unit President of RSS Ashok Patil Chincholi who spoke with TNIE welcomed the court's direction.
When asked whether the court has permitted the RSS volunteers to carry Lathi in their hands during Patha Sanchalana, Ashok Patil said that the court has permitted the volunteers of RSS to participate in the Ganavesha, it means they can carry Lathi in their hands.
Ours is a peace loving organisation and we would maintain peace and law and order, he said.
It may be recalled here that originally the RSS wanted to conduct Patha Sanchalana at Chittapur on October 19, but the taluk administration prohibited RSS from conducting Route March.
The RSS approached the Kalaburagi Bench of High Court and, on Thursday, the court permitted RSS to conduct Route March at Chittapur on November 16.