Plea in HC against protests in TN on masjid demolition day

An advocate has petitioned the Madras High Court to restrain all Muslim organisations from holding any form of protest on December 6 or any other day to mark the anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition.

When the plea by K Gopinath came up for hearing, a Division Bench of Justices R Subbiah and P Velmurugan adjourned the hearing to December 2.

The petitioner, who is also the president of Hindu Munnetra Kazhagam, said he apprehended threat to peace and tranquility in society if outfits were allowed to protest to mark the anniversary even after the recent Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya case.

"The Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) have called for demonstrations throughout the state on December 6 condemning the Supreme Court verdict; any such protest would attract contempt of court proceedings," he said in his plea.

Such demonstrations and rallies were unwarranted as the verdict was delivered by the highest court of the land and that too by a constitution bench which is binding on all.

On August 23, the petitioner said he had made a representation to the director general of police seeking to prevent such protests.

Since the authorities failed to respond, he was constrained to move the High Court.