Chennai,  Madras High Court on Friday granted permission to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to conduct route march at 44 destinations across Tamil Nadu on November 6.

Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan of the Madras High Court said that he had gone through the sealed intelligence report submitted by the Tamil Nadu police. The court said that there was no adverse report on the RSS except for some minor incidents affecting law and order. The judge said that these minor disturbances could not be considered for denial of permission.

Tamil Nadu government had on Wednesday said that the permission for the RSS route march could be allowed only at three of the 50 places sought by the organisation. The police cited the Coimbatore blasts and the monsoon fury for denial of permission.

However several petitions were filed by RSS men. After hearing this, Madras High Court pronounced the judgment allowing the route march to be held at 44 places across the state. However, the judge denied permission for conducting route march at Coimbatore city, Mettupalayam, Arumanai, Nagercoil, Pollachi, and Palladam till the prevailing tense situation following the Coimbatore car blast was over.

The court also directed the RSS to file a fresh petition to conduct the route march at the six places where it was denied permission due to the law and order situation at the moment.

Meanwhile, the public prosecutor appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, told the court that the police report suggested that the law and order situation in the state was sensitive. Justice Ilayanthiraiyan however said that the intelligence report did not suggest any such threat.

The Madras High Court directed the petitioners that stringent action would be taken if any untoward incidents occur during the route march.

It may be noted that the RSS route march was scheduled to be held on October 2 but the home department prevented it citing the ban on the Popular Front of India.