Madras HC allows RSS to hold rallies at 35 places

After the Tamil Nadu Police refused permission to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to hold rallies in the state at 35 places on the occasion of Vijaya Dasami (October 22) and Ambedkar’s birth anniversary (October 29), the saffron body moved the Madras High Court.
The Madras High Court rejected the objections raised by the Tamil Nadu police and directed it to ensure law and order and impose “reasonable restrictions”.

Reports stated that Justice G. Jayachandran passed a common order on the petitions filed and directed the police to grant permission at least three to five days ahead of the scheduled date of the marches.

“The Madras High Court has directed the state government to allow the RSS route march. It is a socio-cultural and not a political event. What was the point in trying to stop this march? It only shows the motivations of this government. They (DMK government) are afraid of the RSS as it is making serious inroads in the state,” BJP leader Narayanan Tripathy said.

In October 2022 also, the RSS had approached the Madras High Court as permission was denied for their request to carry out marches and public meetings across Tamil Nadu on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and 75 years of India’s independence. The Tamil Nadu government refused permission citing law and order problems and the RSS had then approached the High Court. A single judge passed an order on November 4 giving the RSS permission to hold the march subject to certain conditions.

On February 10 this year, a bench of the High Court removed these restrictions and directed RSS to get new dates and approach the police. The Tamil Nadu government then challenged this order in the Supreme Court which upheld that RSS could conduct these marches. The RSS then held traditional rallies in 45 places across Tamil Nadu in April.