The Madras High Court today granted permission to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to take out processions at 51 places throughout Tamil Nadu on October 2, subject to certain conditions.
Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan, who granted the permission, directed the State Home Secretary, DGP and other top police officers in the districts to grant the permission before September 28, after obtaining the procession routes from the organisers and imposing stringent conditions to maintain law and order.
The judge, who was disposing of a batch of petitions from the leaders of RSS in the city and other districts, said he will pass a detailed order later.
According to advocate Rabu Manohar, who represented the Sivakasi unit of the RSS, the organiser applied for police permission. The cadres will wear their uniform and they will be led by a musical band and conduct public meetings thereafter. Though the local police authority was approached for permission, there was no response till date.
The senior counsels representing other petitioners, submitted the authorities in Tamil Nadu alone were forcing them to obtain permission from the court, every year. RSS was not a banned organisation.
The procession was to commemorate the founding day of the RSS, to celebrate the 75th year of Independence and the centenary of Dr B R Ambedkar. The rallies will be conducted peacefully without creating any law and order problem.
The State can not completely ban the conduct of any such rallies, it can only impose restrictions or conditions. The government/police can impose any reasonable conditions, which the RSS will comply with, they added and prayed the court to frame guidelines to avoid approaching the court again and again in the future.
State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah expressed fear the rallies might trigger violence as there were places of other religious worship enroute the procession. The organisers are yet submit the procession routes.
They should not shout slogans disgracing other religions, carry any weapon and indulge in any violent activities. If they comply with all these stipulations, permission may be granted, subject to imposition of certain more conditions, he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
"Marriage Built On Trust, Companionship, Shared Experiences": Supreme Court Court Rejects Producers Association Plea To Ban Film Reviews For 1st Three Days After Release Madras High Court Bars Grant Of Award In MS Subbulakshmi's Name To Musician TM Krishna 4-Year-Old Boy Run Over By Speeding Creta In Mumbai, Teen Driver Arrested Germany Refused To Extradite Saudi Suspect? Suicidal Empathy, Says Elon Musk 2 Dead, Many Feared Trapped For 17 Hours After Mohali Building Collapse At Least 30 Killed In Brazil Bus And Truck Collision "Knew What It Took...": Justice Nagarathna's Emotional Tribute To Mother Over 400 More People Arrested In Assam For Child Marriage Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.