HC permits BJP to conduct road show in Coimbatore during PM's visit

The Madras High Court on Friday directed the police in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore to grant permission with certain conditions to BJP to conduct a four km road show of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in that city on March 18. Justice N Anand Venkatesh gave the directive to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, R S Puram Range, on a petition filed by J Ramesh Kumar, BJP District President, Coimbatore, challenging an order denying permission to BJP to conduct the road show on Monday.

In his petition, Ramesh Kumar submitted he had applied for permission with the police on March 14 to permit him to conduct a road show for a span of four km via Mettupalayam road, Coimbatore for the purpose of enabling people to meet the Prime Minister.

The road show was to sensitize the people of Coimbatore about various welfare schemes launched by the PM and urge them to avail them through Direct Benefit Transfer without any interference of touts and also promote the habit of saying no to drugs keeping in perspective the recent incidents hazardous drug trafficking in Tamil Nadu, he added.


He said his application was rejected, the reasons being maintenance of law and order and peace and disturbance to public tranquility in Coimbatore in the event of conducting such road show and also in view of security threats as if it prevails.

The order was arbitrary and in contrary to the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution of India. The reasons stated in the refusal were not at all reasonable and despite his willingness to abide by any conditions imposed to conduct the road show has been completely overlooked by the police for political reasons, he added.