Karnataka govt grants permission to RSS route march after High Court blow over public gathering order

The Yadgir district administration has granted permission for the march planned to be held on October 31 in Gurmitkal town, which is the home turf of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge.

The RSS has been granted permission to hold the march through Samrat Circle, APMC Circle, Hanuman Temple, Marathawadi, Police Station Road, Milan Chowk, and Sihineeru Bavi Market Main Road before culminating at Ram Nagar, Deccan Herald reported.

The organisers have been asked to ensure that no public or private property is damaged, the designated route is adhered to and no slogans against any caste or religion is raised.

The order also told the organisers that no roads should be blocked, no shops should be forcibly closed and no deadly weapons or firearms should be carried in the procession, Deccan Herald added.

In a setback for the Siddaramaiah government, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday paused the State's order that made it mandatory to seek permission for gatherings of more than 10 people.

On October 18, the Congress government had issued an order that made it mandatory for all private organisations, associations or a group of people to take permission before organising any programme on government property or premises.

Though there was nothing written about RSS, the order was viewed by the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as an attempt to restrict the events of its ideological parent.

The faceoff escalated when RSS' attempt to hold a “patha sanchalan” (route march) in Chittapur, in the Kalaburagi district of Karnataka, on October 19 was turned down by the administration.

The order was issued days after Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge sought a ban on RSS triggering a huge showdown.

In the court, the government cited a 2013 order that under the then BJP government had restricted the use of school premises and attached playgrounds for events only related to education.