The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking a direction to Director General of Police to initiate action against Ramanathapuram Superintendent of Police for having imposed several conditions with regard to celebrating B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary in the district on April 14. The petition had also sought for a consequential order forbearing the police from imposing such conditions in future.
A Division Bench of Justices K.K. Sasidharan and G.R. Swaminathan rejected the case after concurring with Additional Government Pleader T.S. Mohammed Mohideen that the conditions were imposed only in view of unsavoury incidents that had occurred during such celebrations in the past. They also pointed out that the police had not restricted the use of Ambedkar’s portraits during the celebrations but had only insisted that the portraits should be removed after garlanding.
The other conditions imposed by the local police, on the instructions of the SP, included a ban on using speakers, organising sporting events in sensitive localities, wearing ribbons and dresses with caste insinuations, installing new flag masts and name boards, and erecting flex boards.
The SP had also made clear that the celebrations should not be conducted in localities where Caste Hindus reside and that the organisers should obtain prior permission for taking out processions and conducting public meetings.
Though the PIL petitioner M. Sakundala Devi, a local resident, had alleged that the conditions amounted to insulting the great leader, the AGP contended that the conditions were laid down in order to ensure maintenance of law and order in as many as 49 places where the celebrations were held in the district on April 14. He pointed out that about 50 to 100 people had gathered for the celebrations in each of those 49 locations situated within the limits of various police stations in the district.
