HC to NGO: Apply afresh to police to hold farmers' meet

The Madras High Court today asked an NGO to seek fresh permission from the police to hold a rally on farmers' issues at an alternative site on city's outskirts.
NGO 'Arappor Iyakkam,' which had earlier been denied permission to hold rally in the heart of the city, was asked by Justice M S Ramesh to apply afresh to the police for permission to hold the meet at an alternative site.
As the petitioner, during an hour-long urgent hearing at the residence of the judge, proposed an alternative site on city's outskirts for the rally, Justice Ramesh gave it the liberty to approach the city police commissioner with a fresh application.

He asked the petitioner to specify all details, including the number of participants and the venue in its application.
The forum had moved the court yesterday after police denied it the permission to hold the 'Uzhave Thalai' (farming is supreme) meet at the YMCA Grounds in the heart of the city here on March 31.
In its plea, the forum had sought to restrain the state authorities from obstructing, preventing or in any manner interfering with the peaceful assembly and conduct of the meeting.

Since the court is on vacation till today for Ugadi festival, the matter was heard at the residence of Justice Ramesh.

Adjourning the matter to tomorrow, he asked the government pleader M K Sbramanian to get instructions.
Earlier, the petitioner's counsel said they have selected another venue near Avadi on the city outskirts for the meet.
In the petition, it was submitted that farmers who came for the meet from across the state on March 31 were prevented by a large contingent of police 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.

The development comes at a time when a group of farmers from the state are on an agitation at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for the past 20 days, demanding a drought relief package of Rs 40,000 crore from the Centre and farm loan waiver.