Is it your case that you are not going to allow any RSS event? Madras High Court asks Tamil Nadu government

The Madras High Court on Thursday asked the Tamil Nadu government if it was opposed to all events that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) wished to conduct in the State..A Bench of Justices R Mahadevan and J Sathya Narayana Prasad was hearing an appeal filed by the RSS challenging a previous order of the High Court, passed by a single-judge on November 4, imposing conditions on its proposed march..Senior Advocate NL Rajah, who appeared for the RSS, told the Court that Tamil Nadu was the only state in the country where the RSS route march and public meeting had not taken place on October 2, because of the State government's opposition.Rajah also pointed out that on September 29, the Bench presided over by Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan had directed the State police to consider the representation made by the RSS for such route march and to grant them permission.The Court had subsequently asked for a security intelligence report from the State and noted that there were no apparent security threats at the time.On November 4, however, the Bench imposed several conditions, including a direction to the RSS to conduct the march indoors or in an enclosed space..On Thursday, Rajah argued that the November 4 order amounted to modification of the Court's earlier order and should not be condoned. "The Court said at the time that there was nothing in the intelligence report. Yet, it said some areas were sensitive and it (route march) be held indoors. Public opinion and press reports can't be taken as evidence," Rajah argued.The State government, however, argued that the RSS' petition was not maintainable, since the single-judge had already held that in refusing or modifying permission to the RSS, the State government had not committed any wilful disobedience, and no case for contempt court was made out..The Court then asked the RSS why it could not apply afresh to the State Police for permission to conduct its route march in Tamil Nadu on a new date.Rajah said that the organisation was willing to do so. However, the RSS' primary objection was to "the way that the State government approaches its applications." "We'll do that (apply afresh). Unlike the State, we implement every word that falls from the Bench. However, let them (TN government) not say now that there is COVID in China or, a war in Taiwan," Rajah argued. .The High Court then asked the State government, "Is it your case that you are not going to allow RSS to conduct any event?" Appearing for the State, Additional Public Prosecutor E Raj Thilak told the Court that the government was not opposed to the RSS' application and even previously, it had only imposed conditions and had granted permission to conduct such march at most of the 50 spots for which permission was sought. .The Court granted time to the State government to file its reply to the RSS' pleas and posted the matter for hearing on January 5, 2023. It added that it would examine if the modification made in the November 4 order was "sustainable."