RSS row: Foot march peacefully conducted in Karnataka’s Chittapur
Kalaburagi: The centenary foot march of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was successfully conducted by uniformed participants in Chittapur town of Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district on Sunday amid tight security.
Chittapur Assembly constituency is represented by Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, IT and Biotechnology, Priyank Kharge, the son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
The foot march, which was permitted after the intervention of the court, moved peacefully through the arterial roads of Chittapur town.
As RSS volunteers marched carrying a portrait of Bharat Mata, women, children and men lined both sides of the road, showering flowers and cheering the procession.
The foot march began at 3:45 p.m., concluded at 4:22 p.m., and covered about 1.25 km.
It commenced from Bajaj Kalyan Mantap, passed through Ambedkar Circle, Basava Hospital, HDFC Bank Road, Basaveshwara Circle, and returned to Bajaj Kalyan Mantap.
As per court directions, 300 volunteers and 50 drummers were allowed to participate.
The police permitted only RSS volunteers from Chittapur town and did not allow those who had arrived from other parts of the state to join the march.
Before the commencement of the event, the volunteers sang the RSS anthem ‘Namaste Sada Vatsale Matru Bhume’.
The controversy surrounding the foot march had earlier drawn national attention after district authorities denied permission for the event.
The Congress-led state government granted approval following the Karnataka High Court’s intervention.
The police had conducted a route march in the town, and one platoon each from the Karnataka State Reserve Police and the District Armed Reserve was deployed near Bajaj Kalyan Mantap.
In total, around 650 police personnel and 250 home guards were deployed to ensure security and maintain law and order in Chittapur.
The Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police (SP) Adduru Srinivasulu, along with the Additional SP and Deputy SP, closely monitored the situation.
CCTV cameras and drones were also installed for strict surveillance.
On November 7, the Congress-led state government told the High Court bench led by Justice M.G.S. Kamal that it would positively consider the RSS’s application to hold a foot march in Chittapur.
Minister Priyank Kharge had earlier stirred controversy by writing to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, requesting a ban on RSS activities in public places and government-owned premises.
Following this, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued an order mandating prior permission from authorities for events in public places and government-owned premises.
However, the High Court later stayed this order.
Challenging the government’s directive, Punaschetana Seva Samsthe and others approached the High Court.
Meanwhile, several Dalit and progressive organisations opposed the proposed RSS Path Sanchalan, demanding that volunteers should not carry lathis (sticks) or the ‘Bhagwa Dhwaj’ (saffron flag).
Instead, they urged participants to carry the Preamble to the Constitution and the national flag.
This development had raised concerns in the region.