10 organisations invited to meeting today to discuss Chittapur route march

In compliance with a High Court of Karnataka direction issued on Friday, the district administration has made all necessary arrangements to convene a peace meeting on Tuesday with representatives of various organisations that have sought permission to take out their route march in Chittapur on November 2.

Superintendent of Police Adduru Srinivasulu told The Hindu that 10 organisations, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Bhim Army, the Bharatiya Dalit Panthers, the Gonda Kuruba ST Horata Samiti, the Karnataka Rajya Chalavadi Kshemabhivruddi Sangha and the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, have been invited to the meeting.

“The meeting will begin at 11.30 a.m. at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Each organisation will be represented by a maximum of three members. Notices have already been issued to all groups concerned,” Mr. Srinivasulu said.

Meanwhile, the district unit of the BJP met Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum on Monday and submitted a memorandum urging the administration to grant permission for the RSS route march.

The memorandum has been signed by 21 party leaders, including MLA Avinash Jadhav and MLCs Shashil Namoshi, B.G. Patil and Sunil Vallyapure.

BJP State Scheduled Castes Morcha vice-president Ambaraya Ashtagi said that RSS leaders Krishnaji Joshi and Prahlad, apart from himself, were part of the RSS delegation.

The issue originated on October 19 when Chittapur Tahsildar Nagayya Hiremath denied permission to the RSS to conduct its route march as part of the organisation’s centenary celebrations, citing possible law and order concerns.

The decision followed multiple applications from other organisations, including the Bhim Army and the Bharatiya Dalit Panthers, which also sought to take out similar march on the same day and along the same route.

Following the denial, RSS leader Ashok Patil filed a writ petition before the High Court in Kalaburagi, challenging the Tahsildar’s decision.

Hearing the matter on October 19 in a special sitting, the court directed the district administration to submit a report on the ground situation before October 24. During the second hearing on Friday last, Justice M.G.S. Kamal directed the State government to convene a peace meeting of all the applicant organisations to ensure an amicable resolution.

The court further instructed the district administration to submit a report on the outcome of the meeting before the next hearing on Thursday.