Madras High Court allows RSS marches at 41 places in Tamil Nadu – The Hindu

The Madras High Court on Friday granted permission for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) marches and public meetings in 41 out of 50 places across Tamil Nadu on Sunday on the condition that they be conducted only on premises with compound walls, such as grounds or stadia.

Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan refused to grant permission only with respect to six places — Coimbatore city, Pollachi and Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district; Palladam in Tiruppur district; and Nagercoil and Arumanai in Kanniyakumari district — since they were sensitive places after the October 23 car blast.

Even with respect to these six places, the judge granted liberty to the RSS office-bearers to apply for permission after two months and directed the police to consider the applications in accordance with law. The orders were passed after the judge heard State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah and senior counsel S. Prabakaran for the RSS office-bearers.

Since the police had reported that they had granted permission for marches and public meetings in three places in Kallakurichi, Perambalur and Cuddalore districts, the judge refrained from passing any order with respect to these places.

On Wednesday, the police had refused to grant permission in 24 places by citing intelligence reports on the possibility of law and order problems and agreed to grant permission in 23 places if the events could be conducted on premises with compound walls.

However, after going through the intelligence reports, the judge, on Friday, said he did not find anything serious in them to reject permission in 24 places.

He pointed out that the reports contained details of certain First Information Reports which were as old as 2008 and therefore such FIRs by themselves could not come in the way of granting permission. He found some substance to reject permission for the time being only in six places.

However, in all other places, he ordered that the route marches as well as the meetings be conducted only on premises with compound walls and the participants reach the venue in their vehicles without causing any disturbance to members of the public or road traffic.

“During the event, nobody shall either sing songs or speak ill on any individual, caste, religion, etc. The participants shall not, for any reason, talk or express anything in favour of organizations banned by the Government of India. They should also not indulge in any act disturbing the sovereignty and integrity of our country,” the order read.

It went on to state, “The participants shall not bring any stick, lathi or weapon that may cause injury to any one. In the procession, the processionists shall not by any manner offend the sentiments of any religious, linguistics, cultural and other groups.” The court also said the organisers must bear the costs for damage, if any, to public or private property.