CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has granted permission to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to conduct “Pathachanchalanam” (route marches) in Tamil Nadu.
On Monday, the Madras High Court allowed a batch of petitions filed by local and state-level members of the RSS who were seeking directions from the Tamil Nadu police to permit them to hold “route marches” across 33 locations in the state on October 22 and 29 of this year.
The court has also directed the Tamil Nadu state government to provide adequate security for the RSS’s march. However, for the second time, the DMK ruling Tamil Nadu state government had denied permission to conduct the RSS route march in the state, leading to a batch of petitions being filed in the High Court.
Justice G Jayachandran passed the order on a batch of petitions and directed the Tamil Nadu police to grant permission at least three to five days ahead of the scheduled date for such a march. Senior Counsel G Karthikeyan and advocate Rabu Manohar appeared for the petitioners.
While the Court rejected the State police’s objections to the pleas, it allowed the police to impose “reasonable restrictions” to ensure that law and order are maintained during such route marches.
This issue had previously come before the Court in October 2022 when the RSS sought permission from the Tamil Nadu government to carry out its route march and public meetings at several locations across the state to mark Gandhi Jayanti and 75 years of India’s independence. However, the Tamil Nadu government had refused permission. Then the RSS had then approached the Madras High Court.
On November 4, 2022, a single-judge had given the RSS permission to conduct the march. Subsequently, in April 2022, route marches were organized by the RSS at 45 places across the state.
This year, following the High Court’s order, Advocate Rabu Manohar shared the outcome with the waiting media, highlighting that the court had granted route marches in all 33 places requested. Of these 33 locations, three are in Chennai.
The RSS stated that the route march is a part of their regular training. “Well-trained Swayamsevaks (volunteers) are members of the organization. They come from various backgrounds, including daily wage earners, students, and well-placed professionals, as well as factory and office workers. Swayamsevaks involved with various other organizations also participate. The route march is a public exhibition of exemplary discipline by ordinary citizens. The RSS conducts these route marches to instil confidence among the public,” the RSS said in a statement.
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