Bengaluru – The Karnataka High Court on Sunday directed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to submit a fresh application seeking permission to hold its route march in Chittapur, Kalaburagi district, on November 2.
The court’s ruling came after the authorities denied permission for the march originally scheduled for October 19, citing law and order concerns since other organisations like the Bhim Army and Bharatiya Dalit Panther had also applied for rallies on the same date and route.
The court asked the RSS to file a new petition detailing the route, timing, and place of the march to the Deputy Commissioner of Kalaburagi, with copies to the local taluka executive magistrate and police authorities.
The district administration has been instructed to consider the application carefully and report to the court by October 24. The court emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and suggested that different groups could be allotted separate time slots for their rallies to avoid conflict.
This order is seen as a setback to the Congress-led Karnataka government, which had initially rejected the RSS’s permission request citing potential disruption.
The RSS route march has been a contentious issue in Karnataka politics, especially since the state government, led by the Congress party, has exhibited a cautious stance towards the RSS’s activities in recent years.
The government had previously expressed concerns over potential communal tensions stemming from the march, given the presence of opposing groups planning rallies that could lead to clashes.
The government’s refusal was also influenced by political statements from leaders like Priyank Kharge, who urged a ban on certain RSS functions, heightening the political sensitivity around the event.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, on the other hand, had contended that route marches are a lawful right and pointed out that it has organized over 250 such marches across Karnataka without any incidents.
They argued that the march is a peaceful demonstration and committed to maintaining law and order during the event. The organization filed a writ petition challenging the refusal of permission and sought judicial intervention.