A day after the Madras High Court called the Tamil Nadu government "incapable" and summoned Tamil Nadus Director General of Police (DGP) and Home Secretary, in a contempt plea by RSS, the Supreme Court has refused to issue notice in TN governments challenge of Madras HC order for RSS to conduct route marches in the state.
On Wednesday, the Madras High Court summoned the Home Secretary, DGP, and other officials to appear before it in a contempt case filed by RSS for disobeying the Courts order and denying the RSS permission to hold route marches across the state.
The Supreme Court bench warned Tamil Nadu, "Today we are not commenting on merits... as we want to be convinced that the SLP is maintainable."
"(However) If the SLP is maintainable, we will ask you some uncomfortable questions, the Supreme Court bench added.
Last month, Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu Police to grant permission to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's "route marches", on whose representations the Tamil Nadu government had been sitting for almost a month.
The permission was in respect of route marches to be held in 35 places across Tamil Nadu on October 22 and October 29 this year.
It is to be noted that the Tamil Nadu government based its refusal on several grounds including the presence of mosques and churches and a regional office of the DMK, in the proposed routes by RSS. The reasons for refusal were set aside by the Madras High Court bench.
The bench held that such grounds as the existence of mosques and churches along the route go against the very principle of secularism envisaged by the Constitution.
The matter was being heard by a division bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta.
