HYDERABAD: While refusing to allow protest rallies, the Telangana High Court on Friday permitted the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and United Muslim Action Committee (UMAC), with certain conditions, to hold its meeting at Khilwat grounds near Charminar in Old City.
The court was not convinced with the permission orders given by the city Police Commissioner and termed it as ‘vague’. In the police permission orders, there is no mention about the number of speakers who address the proposed meeting, volume of the loud speakers, flag hoisting issue and so on, the Court pointed out.
Justice T Vinod Kumar passed the order in the petition filed by T Uma Mahendra, resident of Petla Burj, Hyderabad, who submitted that the grant of permission to the proposed protest and demonstration at a sensitive place like Charminar would disturb public harmony and create law and order problems.
He sought directions to restrain the UMAC and AIMIM from organizing a midnight protest rally and meeting on Jan 25 against the Citizens Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Two more petitions were filed on the same issue by Swamy Vivekananda Youth Welfare Association and others.
During the course of the hearing, the judge observed that, "If the police force is deployed at the proposed meeting on the midnight of Jan 25, which will carry on to Jan 26 which is Republic Day, the police have to make foolproof security arrangements. If the personnel are put to such strenuous conditions of work, they will slip into frustration and it may affect their performance. Moreover, police personnel are also entitled for sufficient rest because the Constitution gives them the right. The State should be considerate towards the police personnel while deputing them on different tasks."
Replying to a query, special counsel S Sharath Kumar said that the State received alerts from the Ministry of Home Affairs and has already discussed the sensitive issue with Central agencies.
Based on the alerts, the organisers were told to change the venue of the public meeting to Khilwat grounds. Police personnel from the CID, task force and special branch have been roped in to thwart any untoward incidents. The organisers were asked to stick to the number of participants as furnished before the police authorities, he added.
Not satisfied with the submissions of the special counsel, the judge referred to the Jan 10 meeting held by the same organisers wherein the police failed to control the gathering of around one lakh people. The judge cautioned the State government and the police to abide by the orders of the court.
The judge made it clear that there should not be any bike rallies, or flag hoisting, and that the volume of the speakers should be in consonance with the SC guidelines. The number of participants should not be more than 3500, and the meeting timings have been restricted from 6 pm to 11 pm.
No permission for bike rally
Permission has not been accorded for any bike rally or for hoisting flags. No more than 3500 people have been allowed to gather