The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) route will not take place on the earlier scheduled date of March 5 march in Tamil Nadu, after the Apex Court adjourned the case on a submission by the State on discussion by different parties to arrive at a solution.
A bench comprising of Justice V Ramasubramanian and Justice Pankaj Mithal have allowed the State to conduct dialogue with RSS on the proposed routes for March until the next date.
While the hearing was on, the Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the State, told the court that the government is not opposed to the idea od having the route march, but it cannot be in every locality.
The Senior Counsel said that not to do it as there have been Popular Front of India(PFI) incidents and banned… but High Court allows them be held wherever but law and order is upto the State. They cannot have it carta blanche.
The counsel further said that the matter concerns the state and is of highest public interest and the court needs to keep its eyes open.
Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani said that since the State is unable to control a terrorist organisation (PFI), they are banning RSS route march.
The State requested the Court to adjourn the hearing to March 17 and said that in the interim, the other side would be given inputs and proposed routes.
Advocate Mukul Rohatgi said that can we worked out.
A plea was been heard in the Supreme Court by the Tamil Nadu government which challenged the Madras High Court order that permitted the RSS to carry out its route march in Tamil Nadu on rescheduled dates.
A division bench of the High Court in February had lifted previous restrictions on the route march and directed the Tamil Nadu police to allow the RSS to conduct the same.
The RSS had, in October 2022, had taken the permission of the Tamil Nadu government’s permission to carry out its march in the State to mark ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and Gandhi Jayanti.
The government had however refused, which led to the RSS moving a plea before the Madras High Court for relief.
On November 4 that year, a single-judge of the High Court gave the RSS permission to conduct the march subject to certain conditions.
The High Court in its February 10 order, also directed the RSS to give to the Tamil Nadu police any three dates of its choice to hold the route march in the State, adding that the police must grant permission for the march on any one of those three dates.
The Court also ordered the RSS to follow strict discipline during the event, cautioning that they must not resort to any provocation. The State government was directed to make necessary security and traffic arrangements for the march as well.
The High Court had given order to follow the strict discipline during the event, cautioning that they must not resort to any provocation. The State government was instructed to make necessary security and traffic arrangements for the march as well.
In October 2022, the RSS had sought the permission Tamil Nadu government’s
permission to carry out its march in the State to mark ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and Gandhi Jayanti.