Can’t give permission for RSS to hold rallies in 47 places: TN police

CHENNAI: Citing the current monsoon season and law and order issues after the Coimbatore car blast incident, the state police informed the Madras High Court that it cannot grant permission to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to carry on rallies in 47 out of the 50 places requested by the RSS in the state.

Senior Counsel NR Elango representing the state police made this submission before the Madras HC’s Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan. The judge was hearing a batch of writ petitions filed by RSS functionaries.

Senior Counsel S Prabhakaran for the RSS submitted that despite the Madras HC ordering the police to grant permission to the RSS to conduct the rally in 50 places on November 6, the police granted permission to conduct the rallies only at three places i.e., Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, and Perambalur.

Reacting to the submissions, the police stated that after the court passed the order, the scenario changed a lot in the state. Senior lawyer Elango pointed out that police granted permission to conduct the rallies at three places and the department is ready to allow the meeting at 23 places if the RSS is ready to conduct them as the in-hall meetings. He submitted that the police are not in a position to give permission to the remaining 24 places.

“The decision was made as per the intelligence report. Also, the monsoon is getting intense in several parts of the state. Therefore, the police and the revenue authorities have to work together for ensuring the safety of the public during the rainfall season,” senior advocate Elango submitted.

RSS’s counsel countered the argument saying that the police cannot deny permission merely by citing the intelligence report and it should be considered as a politically motivated decision.

The police objected to the submissions saying that the officers with the intelligence department had risked their lives to bring such information and those cannot be brushed aside.

The judge asked why should not the state permit the rally in other places except the Coimbatore district where recently a car blast occurred. State PP Hassan Mohammed Jinnah informed the court that the safety of the people is utmost more important than any other demands. He further said that the police have already deployed police protection for RSS leaders for their security. The state police submitted the intelligence report to appraise the court about the current law and order and other scenarios in the state.

Recording the submissions, the judge reserved the order and adjourned the matter to Friday to take a decision on granting permission to RSS to hold rallies in 47 places.