Bombay HC allows Bhim Army to hold workers' meet at Reshimbagh ground

The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Friday allowed Bhim Army to hold a workers' meet at Reshimbagh ground in Nagpur here on February 22 with certain conditions.

A division bench of Justices Sunil B Shukre and Madhav J Jamdar, while hearing a plea filed by a Bhim Army functionary, said the petition is allowed with conditions.

The court said that the meet shall not be converted into a public demonstration or public protest and asked the Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad to give a written undertaking that they would abide by the conditions.

"No inflammatory speeches and no such speeches as would tend to or incite violence or spread hatred amongst citizens or communal ill-feeling or which would lower down the dignity and reputation of the citizens and nation or prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India or public order shall be given by anybody taking part in the meeting," the order said.

The court said that the workers meet shall be held only between 2 pm and 5 pm on Feb 22 and shall not be used for any political purposes.

"The petitioner and main speaker Chandrashekhar Azad shall give a written undertaking that they would abide by and ensure compliance with the above-referred conditions to this court, through the registrar of this court, before the start of the meet which undertaking shall form part of this order," the order added.

The court said that if any condition is breached, the violator shall be liable not only for the criminal law action but contempt of court action as well.

Bhim Army had, on February 12, filed a petition in the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court seeking permission for a workers' meet in Nagpur's Reshimbagh on February 22.