TN govt moves SC challenging HC order permitting RSS march

New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Madras High Court order, which allowed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to conduct a route march across the state.

The state government, through its counsel Joseph Aristotle, submitted that the march would pose a law and order problem and other problems in view of intelligence reports.

The plea contended that the state government decision against the march was within reasonable restrictions on the fundamental rights under Article 19(2) of the Constitution to maintain public order.

The high court, in its order earlier this month, had said: "We are of the view that the state authorities must act in a manner to uphold the fundamental right to freedom of speech, expression, and assembly as regarded one of the most sacrosanct and inviolable rights envisaged in our Constitution."

The state government pointed at the apprehension for disturbance of public peace against the backdrop of the ban on Popular Front of India in September last year.

It further contended that there have been instances of throwing of petrol bombs and clashes, when RSS had conducted similar events in other states.

The high court had directed the RSS to file fresh applications for carrying out the route march on three different dates and also directed the police to permit the RSS to take out route marches on any of such dates in various districts across the state on public roads.

According to sources, the state government is likely to be mentioned on Wednesday for an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court and it may seek an interim stay on the order passed by the high court.

The high court had permitted RSS members to wear their uniform and play its musical band during the marches throughout the state.