The Calcutta High Court on Friday allowed the RSS to hold the Makar Sankranti Utsav, which is to be attended by its supremo Mohan Bhagwat, at the Brigade Parade Ground here on Saturday.
Rejecting refusal of permission by Kolkata Police, Justice Joymalyo Bagchi directed that the programme be held at Brigade Parade Ground, subject to some restrictions including a cap of 4,000 on the number of attendees.
The police had refused permission to the organisers to hold the programme, both for an earlier venue of Bhukailash Park in the western part of the city and Brigade Parade Ground.
The petitioners submitted before the court that Makar Sankranti Utsav is an annual event and is organised on a specific date and cannot be postponed as suggested by Advocate General Jayanta Mitra.
The petitioners’ counsel, Anindya Mitra, also submitted that the organisers had already taken permission of the Army, which is the custodian of the Maidan area where the Brigade Parade Ground is situated in the heart of the city.
Specifying the restrictions, Justice Bagchi directed that the organising secretary, the Kolkata Mahanagar unit of RSS, would have to give an affidavit before the court that no person without proper registration and identity card be allowed to attend the programme. The Kolkata Mahanagar unit is holding the programme, where drills and other activities would be held with the participation of Mr. Bhagwat. It scheduled to be held from 2 PM to 6 PM on Saturday.
The organisers would also have to give an undertaking to the court and the Kolkata Police authorities that they would bear the cost of any unruly behaviour by any person related to the programme.
In addition, the court said that the police might remove any person who was not an invitee and would also have to ensure adequate deployment of force to ensure maintenance of law and order.
Justice Bagchi directed that the organisers would have to furnish the names of all attendees to the court and the police.
