The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday, November 20, refused to close contempt proceedings initiated against the Tamil Nadu government in Madras High Court for not following judicial orders passed in relation to the conduct of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) route marches in the state, reported LiveLaw.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta said that a proposal will be submitted by the state government before the High Court detailing the regulation of future marches by the right-wing organisation without seeking the court’s intervention. The bench said that to avoid any further rounds of litigation, the court will also pass appropriate orders taking the objections given by RSS into consideration.
“We have no reason to doubt that the High Court shall take into consideration all the subsequent events, most importantly, the proposal to be submitted on behalf of the state government for future course of action,” noted the apex court in its order.
The Tamil Nadu government had moved the Supreme Court after the Madras High Court had pulled up the state government for not following its orders allowing the RSS to conduct route marches in the state. In an earlier hearing, the top court had asked the police authorities to give permission to RSS to carry out route marches on either November 19 or 26.
Meanwhile, The Hindu reported that the RSS organised marches yesterday in Tamil Nadu, according to police, the route march started around 4 p.m. at Nachiyarkoil in Woraiyur police station limits in Tiruchi city and proceeded through Main Guard Gate, Chathiram Bus Stand, Karur bypass and culminated at Annamalai Nagar at 5 p.m., in which 350 RSS members participated. Later, a public meeting was held in which nearly 400 persons participated.
At this time, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s minority wing national secretary Syed Ibrahim alias Vellore Ibrahim and seven others were arrested as a preventive measure by Tiruchi city police near the BJP office. They attempted to participate in the route march without any prior intimation to the police from the organisers, said the police. The arrested persons were kept in a private hall and released after a few hours.
Media also reported that a similar programmes were conducted at Thuraiyur. In Nagapattinam, RSS took out a march from Nagapattinam railway junction to the bus stand. Superintendent of Police Harsh Singh supervised the security arrangements. Later, a public meeting was held at Avuri Thidal.
In Tiruvarur district, the route march was held in Mannargudi town, through Government Hospital and Theradi, followed by a public meeting. The route march in Thanjavur started near Kamatchi Amman temple at Mela Veedhi and ended at the Panagal building near the old bus stand. A similar march was conducted at Peravurani in the district.
In Mayiladuthurai, the route march went through the town, starting and ending at Chinna Kadai Street, in which 150 persons participated, police sources told the media.
Related:
JNU: RSS cadres march with saffron flags and sticks, hold meeting inside campus