Justice P Velmurugan of the Madras High Court raised concerns over the Tamil Nadu police’s role in denying permission for a rally proposed by the Puthiya Tamilagam (PT) party. The court questioned whether the police acted as a “government agency or a political agency” when they rejected the rally application just a day before the scheduled date, despite the request being filed weeks earlier.
The issue arose from a petition filed by PT founder-president K. Krishnasamy, challenging the rejection of his party’s rally in Chennai. The Greater Chennai City Police Commissioner issued the rejection order on 6 November 2024, for a rally planned for 7 November 2024. Justice Velmurugan criticized the timing of the decision, emphasizing that such orders should be issued well in advance to avoid inconvenience and allow organizers to seek legal recourse if necessary.
The judge directed the police to explain their actions and granted them until 22 January 2025 to file a counter affidavit. The petitioner also sought ₹1 crore in compensation for the losses incurred by party members, who had traveled from various districts to participate in the rally.
Dr. Krishnasamy explained that the rally was organized to address demands, including the withdrawal of the 3% internal reservation granted to Arunthathiyars within the 18% Scheduled Castes quota for education and jobs. The party had initially applied for permission on 18 October 2024, to hold a march from Munroe statue to Chepauk.
Following a meeting with the Joint Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) on 26 October 2024, the venue was shifted to Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore, with the revised application submitted the same day.
The party had also secured permission from the Raj Bhavan to submit a memorandum to the Governor after the rally. However, on 6 November 2024, the police cited “reliable information” suggesting that the number of participants would exceed the stated figure, potentially causing traffic disruptions and posing a law-and-order threat. A copy of the rejection order was reportedly found pasted on the wall of the party office on 7 November 2024, when participants had already assembled in Chennai.
Dr. Krishnasamy alleged that the last-minute denial caused significant hardship to party members, many of whom had spent considerable amounts on travel and accommodations. He further claimed that participants, including himself, were detained in a poorly ventilated hall for six hours on 7 November 2024, adding to their ordeal.
It is noteworthy that TN Police denied permission to BJP, PMK and other parties for protest requests with respect to the Anna University sexual assault. However, permission was granted to the DMK for protesting against TN Governor RN Ravi over the national anthem row.
(With inputs from The Hindu)
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.