Lathi notice to RSS boss

ARNAB GANGULY, TT, 16 Nov 2018, Mumbai: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has been slapped with a notice by a court in Nagpur for violating police permission by displaying lathis during an event held at the Sangh's Nagpur headquarter in June this year when former President Pranab Mukherjee had addressed the swayamsevaks.

Bhagwat has been asked to appear before the district sessions court in Nagpur on December 11.

"The police had granted permission to hold the path sanchalan (parade) without any weapons. Around 700 swayamsevaks participated in the rally with lathis in their hands violating the ground for permission," said Mohanish Jivanlal Jabalpure, a Nagpurbased social worker and petitioner.

On June 7, this year, the former President had visited the Nagpur headquarters of the RSS to address the closing ceremony of the Tritiye Varsha Sangh Shiksha Varg (the three-year training camp), causing an upheaval in his former party Congress. He had delivered a lecture on tolerance and pluralism being the soul of India.

Along with his petition, Jabalpure provided photographs from the high-profile event telecast live by the national channels and published in a Marathi daily the following day.

Before his address, Mukherjee had witnessed the "mar- Mohan Bhagwat tial prowess" of the young Sangh cadres as they marched on Nagpur's Reshimbag ground.

"When the permission was granted, it was clearly stated that sticks and dangerous weapons, inflammable and explosive articles, guns etc are not to be displayed or carried in any form that can be consti- tuted as threat. The parade was held in gross violation of this," said Jabalpure.

The Nagpur police's deputy commissioner of police (special branch) had granted the permission for the rally on May 26.

Jabalpure had approached the Kotwali police station in Nagpur, under whose jurisdiction the RSS headquarters falls, and later the judicial magistrate first class court which rejected his petition seeking action against the RSS.

The magistrate had said Bhagwat and the others were not carrying lathis to cause any public disturbance. Following this, Jabalapure had moved the higher court.

No RSS leader in Nagpur was available for comment..