Hold route march on November 6: Madras HC tells RSS

The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS to hold its route marches and public meetings in 51 places in Tamil Nadu on November 6 instead of the originally proposed October 2Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan who gave the direction to this effect while entertaining a contempt application from the RSS also directed the state government and the police to give the permission and inform the court on the same by October 31If no decision is taken or permission is not given the court will take up the contempt application and proceed to pass orders the judge warnedYour concern is with regard to October 2 which happens to be Gandhi Jayanthi day In that case the event can be allowed to take place on November 6 the judge saidThe court also said all the conditions stipulated in its September 22 order for taking out the rallies and holding public meetings will hold good for the November 6 event alsoAlso Read Ban on PFI act of political selfishness aimed to appease RSS MayawatiEarlier State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah told the judge that about 52000 police personnel were on the roads after September 22 to protect the life and liberty of the citizens due to issues such as NIA raids and the petrol bomb attacks and ban on the Popular Front of India PFISenior advocate NR Elango representing the TN State said the government had received intelligence inputs from the Centre with regard to the possible law and order problems in view of the ban order on PFI the recent NIA raids against it and petrol bomb attacks on certain BJP and Hindu outfit membersThe lives of the members of the general public is foremost important and the State cannot take any risk on their safetySenior advocate G Rajagopalan and advocate B Rabu Manohar representing the RSS citing a Supreme Court ruling told the judge that law and order problem can never be a reason to deny permission The SC had made it clear it was for the authorities to maintain law and orderBefore suggesting the alternate date the judge also concurred with the State government and said he was watching the ground reality and the threat due to the ban on PFI NIA raids and petrol bomb attacksThe court was hearing a contempt plea by the RSS against TN Home Secretary Phanindra Reddy and state police chief C Sylendra Babu among others over the issue of granting permission to the saffron organisation for holding the route marches on October 2The RSS moved the plea on Thursday after the government refused permission for its October 2 statewide events citing possible law and order issuesMeanwhile court suggested to Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi VCK founderpresident Thol Thirumavalavan to approach the Supreme Court with his plea to recall its September 22 order granting permission to the RSS to take out route march on October 2The Apex Court is the right forum to deal with the issue Justice Ilanthiraiyan said when the writ petition from the Lok Sabha member came up for hearing todayThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever