By Shilpa Nair: The Tamil Nadu police permitted the RSS to take out a route march across 45 locations in the state on April 16. This comes two days after the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal filed by the DMK government against an order of the Madras High Court allowing the processions.

According to a statement from the RSS, the organisation approached the state’s Director General of Police with a copy of the Supreme Court’s order on April 12 and sought permission for the route march on three probable dates – April 14, April 15 and April 16. The police department granted permission for April 16.

The route march was originally scheduled to take place on October 2, 2022 – on Vijayadashami.

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However, the DMK government denied permission, citing law and order issues amid a ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associate groups by the Union Home Ministry.

After multiple rounds of legal battle in the high court, the matter reached the Supreme Court, which, on Tuesday, allowed the RSS to conduct the rallies.

The processions will be held on April 16 in Chennai (Korattur), Urappakkam, Thiruvallur, Arakkonam, Chengalpet, Kanchipuram, Arani, Tiruvannamalai, Ambur, Vellore, Dharmapuri, Hosur, Attur, Salem, Namakkal, Gobichettipalayam, Nilgiri, Gudalur, Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, Palladam, Karur, Pollachi, Mulanur, Palani, Chinnamanur, Ambasamudram, Tenkasi, Nagercoil, Arumanai (Kanyakumari), Alwarthirunagari, Thoothukudi, Srivilliputhur, Ramanathapuram, Aranthangi, Thirumangalam, Madurai, Trichy, Ariyalur, Gandhavakottai, Sivagangai, Pattukottai, Kumbakonam, Vedaranyam and Villupuram.

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