New Delhi: The Bombay high court on Thursday directed Pune police to chart out a route for a rally, commemorating Tipu Sultan’s birth anniversary, for which it had earlier denied permission.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muselimeen (AIMM) city president Faiyaz Shaikh had sought permission to organise a rally commemorating the birth anniversaries of Tipu Sultan and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad along with celebrations on the Constitution Day on November 26, 2024.
However, the Pune police had denied permission for a rally honouring the Mysore ruler citing objection letters received from another community.
Shaikh then moved the Bombay high court seeking permission to conduct the rally on December 24.
What the court said
A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Shivkumar G. Dige asked the Pune police if there was a ban on celebrating Tipu Sultan’s birth anniversary. “We understand if the rally cannot be permitted in a particular area citing law and order. But the police can always ask the petitioner to change the route. If they commit any offence, the police are free to lodge FIR against them,” the bench said.
Additional public prosecutor Kranti Hivrale said that while such a rally was not prohibited, there were concerns about the law and order situation.
Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Pankaj Deshmukh told the court that they had registered cases of offence when a Tipu Sultan Jayanti rally was taken out in 2023. “We had allowed for a procession on November 26, 2024, for the Constitution Day and Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad Commemoration,” Deshmukh added.
“There is no reason why they [petitioner] cannot be allowed to take out the procession for this. You can impose restrictions. And in case of incidents, you can always register the offences. Law and order is your prerogative, it cannot be the ground for denying them permission. If they use any derogatory language or commit some offence, the police can file a case against them,” the bench said.
The court directed Shaikh to meet Deshmukh and finalise a route for the rally. It also asked the petitioner to submit an undertaking that the rally would proceed without untoward incidents and in compliance with the conditions set by the police, the Hindu reported. The matter was adjourned till December 17.
