BENGALURU: The police have granted conditional permission for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to take out a Vijayadashami route march in Kalaburagi on Sunday.
The preparations are in full swing for the organisation’s programmes in Hubballi and Mysuru. But in Tumakuru district, permission for the proposed marches has been denied.
In Kalaburagi, Deputy Commissioner of Police Shalu has granted permission for the march to begin at 3.30 pm on Sunday, following the submission of Forms 1 and 2 prescribed by the Home Department. The procession will start from Nagareshwar School and culminate at the Sharanabasaveshwara Jatra Grounds.
The police have directed the organisers to adhere to the prescribed route and prohibited provocative speeches during the procession. The conditional clearance comes amid a debate over whether RSS route marches require prior police permission or whether advance intimation to the authorities is sufficient.
In Hubballi, preparations are in full swing for the route march and public meeting scheduled at Nehru Maidan on October 25. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and several BJP MLAs are expected to participate in the programme. Permission has been granted for the event, according to the report.
In Mysuru, too, preparations are under way for the RSS route march and related programmes, including a baudhik (intellectual discourse).
However, the proposed marches in Tumakuru district have run into a roadblock, with police denying permission for programmes planned in Tumakuru city, Tumakuru rural, Kunigal and Gubbi. The denial is suspected to be linked to the Model Code of Conduct in force for the graduates’ constituency election.
The developments come amid differing positions on the requirement for police clearance. Home Minister Priyank Kharge has maintained that permission is mandatory for such marches, while police officials have reportedly said that prior intimation is sufficient.
The contrasting decisions across districts have brought the conduct of RSS Vijayadashami programmes under scrutiny, with organisers facing different requirements depending on the local police authorities’ decisions.