JOIN USTamil Nadu denies permission to RSS to hold march on October 2 citing law and order issues
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in Tamil Nadu on Thursday refused permission to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to hold route marches in 50 locations on October 2, citing recent incidents aimed at “flaring up” communal tension in the state.
The government also decided not to grant the nod for a social harmony human chain to be formed by cadres of VCK, and Left parties in protest against the RSS march on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi. A few other organisations have also sought permission to hold “peaceful” marches on October 2.
Highly placed sources in the know told DH that the government, while carefully going through the Madras High Court order directing it to grant permission for the RSS march in line with rules and regulations, decided not to entertain such protests at a time the state is on high alert following the ban on Popular Front of India (PFI).
Hours after the government refused permission, the RSS moved a contempt of court petition in the Madras High Court against Home Secretary K Phanindra Reddy, Director General of Police (DGP) C Sylendra Babu and others. The RSS also asked the court to give a direction to permit the route march on October 2 as planned.
The government also filed a review petition before Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan against his order asking the police to grant permission to the route march in line with rules and regulations. In the review petition, the government has spoken in detail the reasons why the permission for the route march and other protests was not granted.
Sources said apprehension of a law and order situation was the primary reason for not considering the permission for the route march. Several Muslim organisations are now protesting against the decision to declare PFI as an unlawful organisation, a senior official said, adding that political parties and other outfits have sought permission to conduct peaceful protests on the same day the RSS had planned the march.
“In these circumstances, the police will have to keep a 24/7 vigil to take precautionary measures against any untoward incident. In these circumstances, it is not feasible to grant permission for any outfit,” the source added.
The RSS plans to hold the march on the occasion of its founding day which falls on Vijayadashami in 50 locations in all major cities and district headquarters in the state. Though the police denied permission for the march, the RSS knocked at the doors of the Madras High Court seeking permission which asked the state government to grant the nod on or before September 28.
The RSS has always found it tough to hold marches in Tamil Nadu with the then chief minister J Jayalalithaa refusing permission for years together. The marches resumed after her death in 2016 and were not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The march assumes significance in the wake of a massive political push by the BJP to make inroads into Tamil Nadu, where it still lacks a solid base.