The Madras High Court has dismissed petitions seeking a direction to the police to hold a protest in Chennai, Krishnagiri and Coimbatore on January 26 when U.S. President Barack Obama would be in the country for the Republic Day celebrations.
Justice T.S. Sivagnanam said the police would find it difficult to provide adequate security to the protests as educational institutions and government offices would have various functions that day. The organisers could have their demonstration on some other date if they so desired.
However, it was for the police to decide on the requests.
Petitioner Kovai Maavatta Puthiya Jananayaga Thozhilalar Munnani (workers front), had sought police permission to organise a dharna at Thudiyalur in Coimbatore to focus on the magnitude of the tragedy caused by the gas leak from the Union Carbide company in Bhopal in 1984.