Madras HC criticises TN police for citing mosques to deny RSS march permission

The Madras High Court on Thursday criticised the Tamil Nadu Police for citing the presence of mosques and Eidgahs along proposed routes while refusing permission for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh marches, saying such grounds gave the Muslim community a bad name.

Justice V Lakshminarayanan made the remarks while hearing a petition challenging the police’s refusal to allow the RSS to hold route marches at several places in the state as part of its annual Dussehra celebrations.

“Don’t give Muslims a bad name,” the judge said, according to Bar and Bench.

The RSS had sought permission to conduct processions at 128 locations across Tamil Nadu. However, the police were willing to allow the marches at only 58 locations, Bar and Bench reported.

The police cited the presence of mosques and Eidgahs along the proposed routes among the reasons for refusing permission, Live Law reported.

Questioning the argument, the judge said Eidgahs were used for gatherings and prayers during Ramzan and Bakrid, and asked whether the Muslim community would be celebrating Ramzan in October.

The court also noted that its earlier rulings had described similar grounds cited by the police for denying permission as “lame”.

Justice Lakshminarayanan also questioned the police for referring to incidents involving the banned Popular Front of India while opposing the RSS marches.

The judge asked whether members of the Muslim community had actually raised objections to the proposed processions.

The RSS, the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party, had originally planned the marches for Sunday. They have now been postponed to October 25 in northern Tamil Nadu and November 1 in the southern districts.

The dispute over RSS route marches in Tamil Nadu has been before the courts since 2022, with both the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court passing orders permitting the processions.

In February 2023, the High Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to grant permission for an RSS march, observing that the state must uphold citizens’ right to free speech.

The Supreme Court upheld the ruling in April 2023 after dismissing the state government’s appeal against the High Court order.

The High Court will continue hearing the matter on Friday.