The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) moved the Madras High Court on Monday, seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu government and the Director-General of Police to permit its members to carry out a procession in their uniform, led by a musical band, from a hall to a ground in Manjakuppam in Cuddalore district on October 2, and to conduct a public meeting at the ground.
The petition was filed by S. Shanmugasundaram, a joint secretary of the RSS, Cuddalore district.
Mr. Shanmugasundaram submitted that the RSS was not a banned organisation. According to him, the RSS was a “patriotic, nationalistic and cultural organisation patronised by the majority of people of our nation”. He said the procession was being permitted by the respective governments all over India, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
“lt is unfortunate that only in our State, the respondents are not giving permission to conduct the procession, which is done in a peaceful manner,” he said. The petitioner said while the government and the police were granting permission to various other political parties and organisations to conduct public meetings and processions, they were ‘prejudiced’ when it came to the RSS, and were acting against its interest and not granting it any permission. He said this was a gross violation of fundamental rights under the Constitution.
The courts, he said, had held that the police had the power to control and regulate processions, but not to forbid or ban them. “The State has the duty to regulate such procession, and any unreasonable restrictions would grossly violate the fundamental rights guaranteed to the petitioners,” he said.
The court ordered notice to the State government and the Director-General of Police.
