Karnataka High Court on Sunday allowed the RSS to hold a route march at Chittapur in Kalaburgi district on November 2, handing a setback to the state's Congress government.
Chittapur town has been tense since its MP, minister Priyank Kharge, urged chief minister Siddaramaiah a week ago to ban RSS activities at government institutions and public places.
The RSS had originally sought permission to hold the march on Sunday, October 19, but tehsildar Nagayya Hiremath had refused, citing a threat to law and order.
Two other organisations, the Bhim Army and the Bharatiya Dalit Panthers, too had sought permission to hold marches at Chittapur on October 19.
Chittapur police had in a report to Hiremath suggested the possibility of clashes breaking out among the three groups, and permission was denied to all three.
Justice M.G.S. Kamal, hearing a petition from RSS convener-in-charge (Kalaburgi) Ashok Patil on Sunday, asked what further action the state government had in mind on the request for permission to hold the march.
Everyone's sentiments have to be respected, Justice Kamal said.
The high court asked Patil to apply afresh to the Kalaburgi deputy commissioner for permission to hold the march.
Siddaramaiah said in Mysore on Sunday that his government had not been targeting the RSS.
"We said that all organisations that wished to hold protests had to obtain permission. This rule has been in force since the tenure of the BJP government led by Jagadish Shettar," he said.
“My question is, why did the RSS not oppose it when their BJP government was in power? The rule applies to all private organisations."
Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa welcomed the high court decision. "The high court verdict sends a clear message that there is no room for authoritarian rule in a democratic system. It has given a fitting lesson to those who loudly proclaim their commitment to the Constitution," he said.
Recently, an RSS worker in Chittapur issued an alleged threat to kill Kharge. Congress workers held a general strike in protest on Wednesday, virtually shutting down Chittapur.