Madras High Court Allows RSS Route Marches at 128 Locations in Tamil Nadu; Setback for Vijay Government
Chennai: The Madras High Court has allowed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to conduct route marches and public meetings at 128 locations across Tamil Nadu on October 25 and November 1. Justice V. Lakshminarayanan strongly criticised the police for reiterating grounds that had already been rejected by courts to deny permission for the marches. The order marks a setback for the Tamil Nadu government and police, which had refused permission for the proposed events.
The court passed the order while hearing a petition filed by V.G. Jagadeesan, RSS North Tamil Nadu state secretary. The organisation had sought permission to conduct route marches and public meetings across the state as part of its Vijayadashami celebrations. However, the police rejected the applications, prompting the RSS to approach the High Court.
The organisation had initially proposed October 18, October 25 and November 1 for the programmes.
High Court Questions Police Over Repeated Grounds for Denial
The police had cited the presence of religious places, including mosques and churches, along the proposed routes, the possibility of traffic congestion and potential law-and-order issues as reasons for denying permission.
The High Court observed that grounds previously considered by the courts could not simply be raised again to prevent the RSS from conducting its programmes. The court expressed displeasure over the police’s approach and questioned the repeated attempts to deny permission despite earlier judicial directions.
The court also emphasised that public roads are accessible to all, subject to applicable laws and reasonable restrictions. Organisations seeking to conduct public events should be permitted to do so under appropriate safety conditions rather than face repeated refusals.
Police Directed to Finalise Routes by October 19
The High Court directed the police to consult the organisers and finalise the routes, timings and venues for the marches and public meetings by October 19.
Appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the court that the police could suggest necessary modifications after considering local conditions.
The RSS organisers also assured the court that they would comply with the conditions stipulated in previous judicial orders and provide the necessary details in advance.
Long-Running Legal Dispute Over RSS Marches
The dispute over RSS route marches in Tamil Nadu has been the subject of legal proceedings since 2022. Despite earlier directions issued by the High Court and the Supreme Court, disagreements over permissions have continued to bring the matter before the judiciary.
The latest order underscores the need for the police to consider applications for public events in a timely manner and avoid forcing organisations to repeatedly approach the courts for permission.
The court’s directions seek to balance the right to conduct lawful public programmes with the police’s responsibility to maintain law and order. The emphasis is on facilitating such events through appropriate security arrangements rather than denying permission on grounds that have already been judicially considered.
