HC permits NGO to hold symposium on farmers' issues

The Madras High Court today permitted an NGO to conduct a five-day symposium on issues related to farmers on city outskirts, stipulating that it would observes all the terms imposed by the police while holding the meet.
A slew of terms imposed by the police for holding the meet stipulated for strict adherence to 9 am to 5 pm timing for the meet, no installation of public address system outside the meeting venue and absolutely no disturbance to public peace and safety.
Justice R Mahadevan gave the permission after perusing an affidavit filed by the police detailing all the conditions imposed by it for the NGO 'Arappor Iyakkam to hold the meet from April 5.

The forum, which had earlier been denied permission to hold the symposium in the heart of the city, had submitted a fresh application to police to hold the meet at an alternative site at suburban Avadi.
The fresh application was made on directions by Justice M S Ramesh who had held yesterday an urgent hearing of the matter at his residence.
Though the police had granted permission only for three days, Justice Mahadevan today allowed the symposium to be held for five days from 9 am to 5 pm.

He said police would be free to stop the event if the organisers violate any of the 23 conditions laid down.

Additional Commissioner of Police G Balasubramanian earlier filed an affidavit stating that the symposium has been allowed to be held for three days as its venue is near schools and the area was prone to heavy traffic congestion.
Organising the symposium for more than three days would cause hindrance to the traffic, the affidavit said.
The NGO had moved the court yesterday after the police denied it the permission to hold the 'Uzhave Thalai' (farming is supreme) meet at the YMCA Grounds here on March 31.
It was submitted that farmers who came for the meet from all over the state on March 31 were prevented by a large police contingent from entering the YMCA Ground.

The forum said the meet was proposed as a means to bridge the urban-rural divide as it was shocked by the severe crisis faced by the farmers and 'total ignorance' of the urban society about them.