Chittapur RSS route march row: Karnataka High Court orders for another meeting on November 5 in Advocate-General’s office

The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday directed the Kalaburagi district administration to hold one more meeting on November 5 on the issue of granting permission to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to conduct its route march in Chittapur.

This was after the court was informed that an earlier meeting, held on October 28, remained “incomplete” owing to the absence of a petitioner, who had knocked the doors of the court against the denial of permission for the march.

Justice M.G.S. Kamal passed the interim order after Advocate-General Shashi Kiran Shetty pointed out that the petitioner, Ashok Patil, convener of the RSS route march, Chittapur, did not appear for the earlier meeting, even though the notice was served to him.

However, senior advocate Aruna Shyam M., appearing for the petitioner, pointed out to the court that the petitioner, in response to the notice, had sent his three representatives owing to a bereavement in his family.

The district administration, Mr. Shyam said, did not ask the petitioner’s advocates to attend the meeting through there was a direction from the court in this regard, while pointing out that the meeting was held in a cordial manner. The petitioner’s representatives had made it clear that they had no objection for allowing other organisations to hold their rallies on different days.

Purpose not achieved

While observing that the presence of the petitioner was very essential for the district administration to take a decision, the court said that it would hear the petition on its merit as the purpose, for which the meeting was ordered to be held, could not be achieved owing to the petitioner’s absence.

At this stage, the petitioner’s advocate said that the petitioner was prepared to attend personally if he was called again, and the court accepted this request as the A-G also informed the court that that the district administration would hold one more meeting as it wants to resolve the issue at the earliest.

Though the petitioner’s advocate said that the district administration could grant permission for the rallies of other organisations, the A-G said that the administration wants to consider the petitioner’s plea for granting permission for the route march.

Next meeting

Following this, the court directed the district administration to hold one more meeting on November 5 in the office of the A-G in the presence of the A-G, the petitioner’s advocates, Mr. Shyam and Kadloor Sathyanarayanacharya.

The court orally said that it is not setting the tone for the meeting but it should set a right path for the things in future. The court also said that participation in the November 5 meeting could also be allowed through videoconference.