The Madras High Court on Friday permitted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to hold its annual route marches across Tamil Nadu on October 25 and November 1, criticising the state police for repeatedly rejecting applications on grounds the court had already disapproved.
Justice V Lakshminarayanan directed the police to coordinate with RSS organisers and finalise the timings and locations of the marches and subsequent public meetings by Monday. They have not come up with any novel reasons for rejection. The Court was hearing a petition by RSS North Tamil Nadu secretary VG Jagadeesan. Jagadeesan**, through** senior advocate NL Rajah, had challenged police orders denying permission for the organisation’s annual route marches and public meetings as part of its Vijayadashami celebrations. The state police rejected the applications**,** citing places of worship belonging to other communities along the proposed routes, statues of rationalist leaders, traffic congestion, loudspeakers and possible law and order problems. It also urged the RSS to submit applications sufficiently in advance and expressed hope that repeated disputes over route marches would no longer occupy the Court’s time.
The RSS had sought permission for processions on October 18, 25, and November 1 as alternative dates. During the hearing, Advocate General Vijay Narayan told the court that the state agreed to permit the marches on October 25 and November 1, subject to modifications suggested by local police authorities based on prevailing conditions.
“One thing must be said to the credit of the Tamil Nadu police. They have consistently given the very reasons which this Court found as lame,” Justice Lakshminarayanan said. The Court said that it had considered and disapproved these grounds in earlier proceedings. The Court said that police authorities must help applicants meet procedural requirements instead of looking for reasons to reject their requests.
