A division of the Madras High Court has allowed the route march of RSS in various districts across Tamil Nadu on public roads.
Last November 4, Judge G K Ilanthiraiyan allowed the RSS to conduct route marches and have public gatherings at 44 locations around Tamil Nadu by a single with riders. He reprimanded the police for not allowing rallies at 47 places in the State only on the basis of information received from the intelligence department. Also, he issued instructions to it to hold rallies at 44 places.
The court said there was nothing adverse in the intelligence reports cited by the police while denying permission. The High Court order came after Tamil Nadu police denied permission for the march despite court orders asking to grant the permission. It also imposed certain conditions on the permitted rallies, including stipulating that the rallies must be held in indoor stadiums or enclosed facilities.
RSS moved the Madras High Court with an application challenging the recent order of a single judge, which permitted its ‘route march’ and public meetings in auditoriums and open grounds alone. The letter patent appeal (LPA) from G Subramaniam also sought to punish the State Government officials and the police personnel for not complying with the court’s earlier order directing them to grant permission to the RSS to take out the March on October 2. This included State Home Secretary, DGP, Greater Chennai Police Commissioner and the inspector attached to Korattur police station here.
A division bench of justice R Mahadevan and justice Mohammed Shaffi of Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu police to permit RSS path sanchalan in various districts across the State on public roads. It said, “Freedom of Speech is the bedrock of our constitution 3 dates to be given and upon scrutiny of same permissions shall be granted to route march. State shall take all necessary appropriate precautions and measures to ensure law and order. RSS Organisation shall ensure no provocation, incident, or incitement of violence of any kind.”
The bench set aside the single bench order that imposed conditions on the RSS proposed route march in Tamil Nadu. It said a democratic state must uphold citizens’ right to freedom of speech and expression.
Advocate Rabu Manohar, who appeared for RSS, said in a video that already a single permitted the RSS route march and against which contempt petition. We filed an appeal against the single-judge order, which specified some conditions. It made some severe observations on State Government and police. It asked them to grant permission for the route march on roads. It asked us to give three dates for the proposed march. After the bench approved it, State should give permission”.
As per court orders, RSS held marches in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi, Cuddalore and Perambalur districts on November 6 last year.
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