'No adverse material found to deny permission': HC gives nod to RSS march at 44 places in TN

The court directed the state police to direct all police officers not to "precipitate the issue," and to make security arrangements accordingly.
Image used for representational purpose only. (Photo | PTI)
Image used for representational purpose only. (Photo | PTI)

CHENNAI: Finding no adverse materials to deny permission except in a few places, the Madras High Court on Friday granted permission to RSS route march at forty-four places across Tamil Nadu on November 6.

However, Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan refused permission to hold the event at six places --- Coimbatore city, Pollachi, Mettupalayam, Palladam, Arumanai and Nagercoil --- until the prevailing situation eases.

He directed that processions be held outdoors while public meetings must be within a compound by strictly following the conditions.

The judge said that he had gone through the sealed cover intelligence report submitted by the Tamil Nadu police and found 'no adverse' material except for a few scattered instances of disturbance of law and order to deny permission.

The order was passed on a batch of contempt petitions filed by RSS men after the Tamil Nadu police refused to permit the event initially scheduled for October 2 citing law and order problems in the aftermath of the ban on the Popular Front of India, PFI.

The intelligence report contained the FIRs registered in some places more than a decade ago, that too on the reports published in newspapers and magazines, based on certain outfits, the judge pointed out.

On Wednesday, the state said that permission could be granted only at three of the 50 places considering the security risks following the Coimbatore car blast and the prevailing monsoon fury in the state.

While the State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah insisted that the law and order situation across the state continued to be sensitive, the judge said it had found nothing in the intelligence report to suggest the same.

It granted RSS the liberty to approach the state police with a fresh representation after two months to conduct the event at the six places, for which, permission is denied.

The court directed the state police to direct all police officers not to "precipitate the issue," and to make security arrangements accordingly while issuing a strict warning to the petitioners of action if any untoward incidents occur.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com