Copyright deccanchronicle
Kalaburagi: A meeting convened by the Kalaburagi district administration on Tuesday to discuss permissions for the proposed Path Sanchalan by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and similar events by other organisations ended without consensus, as all groups maintained that they would want to go ahead with their respective programmes on November 2. The meeting, held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, was convened following the Karnataka High Court’s direction to bring together the RSS and other organisations seeking to hold events in Chittapur on the same day. The court had instructed officials to review the proposals and report back on the feasibility of conducting the programmes peacefully. At the meeting held on, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner and attended by representatives of the RSS and about 9 other groups, no agreement could be reached on changing the date or time of their respective events. Sources said that while the Deputy Commissioner asked whether the any organisations would consider shifting their events to another date or time, none agreed. “The DC asked others if they could postpone their programme, but nobody was ready. On October 19 itself, we had requested the High Court to allow us to hold the route march on November 2. We were the first to demand that date, and now others want to hold their events on the same day,” a leader who attended the meeting told Deccan Chronicle. He added, “We have decided not to change the date. We are fighting the case in court. If we shift our programme, those organisations will again demand the same day.” The issue arose after the Chittapur Taluk administration earlier denied permission for the RSS’s proposed 3-km Path Sanchalan on October 19, citing possible law and order issues, since other organisations like the Bhim Army and Bharatiya Dalit Panther had also sought to hold rallies at the same venue and time. RSS leader Ashok Patil subsequently approached the High Court challenging the denial. During the hearing, the court asked whether the petitioner was willing to reschedule the event to avoid conflict. Patil’s counsel proposed November 2 as an alternative date. The court then directed the Deputy Commissioner, Tahsildar, and Police Inspector to consider the new application, consult all concerned organisations, and submit an action-taken report by October 24. On October 24 the court directed to hold the meeting of all the organisations on October 28. The case has been listed for October 30. The Path Sanchalan controversy has drawn attention as Chittapur is the home constituency of IT-BT and RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge, who recently urged the Chief Minister to restrict RSS events in public and government spaces.
