Denied nod for procession march in TN, RSS moves HC

Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) has moved the Madras High Court seeking a direction to permit its annual foundation day procession in seven cities/towns in Tamil Nadu on November 9 after authorities denied the same.
When the petitions by seven units of RSS came up for hearing yesterday, Justice V.Ramasubramanian issued a notice to the conerned district authorities and police.
The petitions sought a direction to authorities to grant permission for the processions planned in Chennai, Karur, Coimbatore, Tuticorin, Thackalay, Thiruvarur and Tenkasi.
They said "RSS is a patriotic, nationalistic and cultural organization which is patronised by majority of the people in the country."

While the procession (route march) was being permitted by all state governments, including Jammu and Kashmir, it was "unfortunate that only in Tamil Nadu the permission is refused."
Rejection of permission to hold the procession in the seven places was discriminatory when such clearance was given to all political parties, the petitions contended.

Relying on various court orders, the petitions said "while police had power to control and regulate processions, they did not have power to forbid or ban processions. The power to control does not include the power to forbid."
During the arguments, Additional Solicitor General of India G Rajagopalan suggested that the court can utilise this opportunity to lay down guidelines for officials as well as the organisers of such programmes to follow.

Besides issuing the notice, Justice Ramasubramanian directed Additional Government Pleader P Sanjay Gandhi to get instructions and posted the matter for further hearing to November 6.