The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to respond to petitions filed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionaries seeking permission to conduct route marches and public meetings across the state. The petitions, filed by M Jothiprakash, the RSS union secretary of Tiruppur, and K Sethuraj, joint secretary of RSS in Dindigul, request police approval for the events scheduled for October 6, in celebration of Vijayadasami.Justice G Jayachandran, who presided over the hearing, was informed by the petitioners that their application for route marches at 58 locations across Tamil Nadu had yet to receive a response from the police. The petitioners argued that their request was in accordance with a prior Madras High Court order from January 5, which laid out specific guidelines for conducting such public events.
Despite adhering to these guidelines and submitting applications well in advance, the RSS members expressed concern that they had not been granted the necessary permissions, which they noted are required a week before the scheduled marches.
The Court, after reviewing the petitioners’ submissions, has scheduled the next hearing for September 24 and directed the state government to provide its response to the matter by that date.
The outcome of this case could have broader implications, as the RSS has regularly sought permission for similar events in Tamil Nadu, often encountering legal and administrative hurdles.