Chennai: Tamilnadu government today said that permission cannot be given for the BJP’s Vel Yatra.
Submitting its response at the Madras High Court today, the State government said that with the present coronavirus situation it is not possible to give permission for protests and rallies.
Advocate General Vijay Narayanan said that though there has been relaxations announced in the lockdown still orders are being issued to control the gathering of crowd.
“So far permission has been given to hold meetings with only 100 participants,” he said.
Responding to this, BJP said that they will not stay in any particular place during the rally.
“When the government has decided to reopen schools and colleges why are stopping the rally. We are just going to travel in vehicles by following social distancing and lockdown norms.”
After hearing the arguments from both the sides,the bench comprising of Justice Sathyanarayanan and Hemalatha said that they cannot accept oral assurances.
“The State government has said that it cannot allow the rally. This case is closed based on the assurance that the State government will explain the reasons for not granting the permission to BJP. If needed the BJP can further appeal after hearing the explanation,” the judges said.
The case against the Vel Yatra was filed after BJP state president L Murugan had given a letter seeking permission to conduct the rally from 6 November to 6 December from Tirutani to Tiruchendur.
Two individual petitions were filed against the rally, in which the petitioners mentioned that granting permission to such rallies will increase the chances of the spreading of coronavirus.
“Even festivals such as Vinayagar Chathurthi and Muharam were cancelled due to the coronavirus. Granting permission to such rallies will spoil the efforts taken by the government, doctors and all other frontline workers in the fight against coronavirus,” the petitioners stated.
The petitioners also pointed out that that a recent remark made by Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan against Manu Smriti had caused violent clashes between his party cadre and those belonging to BJP, the litigant apprehended similar recurrence during the Yatra too.
It may be noted that the VCK and the CPM have demanded a ban on the BJP’s Vel Yatra.