Bengaluru, Karnataka | October 19, 2025
By Grok News Desk
In a high-stakes constitutional clash that underscores deepening political fault lines in Karnataka, the High Court on Sunday convened a rare weekend session to adjudicate a petition by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) challenging the state government's denial of permission for a ceremonial route march in Chittapur. The court directed authorities to expeditiously review a fresh application for the event, rescheduled to November 2, while the Congress-led administration staunchly defended its clampdown—citing a regulatory order ironically originating from the previous BJP regime—as a neutral measure to preserve public order.
The controversy erupted over the RSS's planned "Padasanchalana" (route march), intended to commemorate the organization's centenary and Vijayadashami festivities. Originally slated for October 19 in Chittapur—a tense hotspot in Kalaburagi district and the home turf of Mining Minister Priyank Kharge—the event drew swift rejection from local officials. The Taluk Magistrate's October 18 endorsement flagged "grave law and order apprehensions," pointing to overlapping rally applications from Dalit outfits like the Bhim Army and Bharatiya Dalit Panthers, which could spiral into communal unrest. Undeterred, RSS district convenor Ashok Patil approached the High Court, arguing the denial infringed on fundamental rights to assemble and move freely under Articles 19(1)(b) and 19(1)(d) of the Constitution.
Presiding Justice M.G. Shukre Kamal, in a special sitting triggered by the petition's urgency, grilled the state on its rationale, emphasizing that such freedoms are subject only to "reasonable restrictions" under law, including the Karnataka Police Act. The bench noted prior peaceful RSS processions across the state and recorded the government's assurance to allocate a venue for the deferred date. "The State must balance public order with citizens' rights; everyone must cooperate," the judge observed, while clarifying no merits-based ruling was issued yet. Patil's counsel, senior advocate Arun Shyam M, promptly agreed to November 2 as an alternative, prompting the court to mandate a detailed fresh application—specifying route, venue, and timings—and a compliance report from authorities by October 24. The next hearing is set for that date.
At the heart of the government's defense lies a freshly reiterated circular issued Saturday, mandating prior nodal officer approval for any private entity, including the RSS, to utilize government premises or property for events. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dismissed BJP accusations of vendetta, asserting the rule is apolitical and universally applicable. "This order was framed during the BJP's tenure under Deputy CM Jagadish Shettar; why didn't they challenge it then?" Siddaramaiah quipped, accusing the opposition of "diversionary tactics" to mask governance lapses on poverty alleviation. The CM further clarified no blanket ban targets the RSS, but stressed accountability amid recent flare-ups, including an RSS activist's alleged death threat to Kharge and unauthorized saffron banners in Chittapur that were dismantled Friday.
The BJP, however, painted the episode as a brazen assault on democratic ethos. State president B.Y. Vijayendra lauded the High Court's intervention as a "slap on authoritarian faces," likening the permission denial to North Korean despotism under Kim Jong Un and evoking Emergency-era stifling of dissent. "Congress is recreating a suffocating Chittapur where even Ambedkar's Constitution weeps—banning patriotic marches while batting for terrorists," Vijayendra thundered on X, vowing to escalate the fight. Union Minister and former CM Basavaraj Bommai echoed the sentiment, slamming the Siddaramaiah dispensation for "humiliating" the RSS's 100-year legacy and diverting from corruption scandals. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya waded in, highlighting high court precedents affirming civil servants' rights to RSS participation and pledging legal aid to challenge related punitive actions.
Compounding the row, the rural development department—under Kharge's oversight—suspended Panchayat Development Officer Praveen Kumar K.P. Friday for donning RSS uniform at a Lingasugur rally on October 12, invoking Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules for breaching political neutrality. Viral images of Kumar, who doubles as aide to BJP MLA Manappa Vajjal, fueled the probe. Kharge had urged the CM for a statewide RSS activity ban on public spaces, but the government framed the suspension as rule-bound, not ideological. Surya countered that "multiple high court judgments" protect such engagements, predicting a swift quashing and his personal courtroom appearance in solidarity.
As saffron-clad RSS volunteers converged on Chittapur Sunday—only to be redirected—the standoff symbolizes broader RSS-Congress skirmishes in Karnataka, where the Sangh Parivar accuses the ruling party of minority appeasement and the latter decries majoritarian overreach. With Diwali approaching and local polls looming, the October 24 hearing could either defuse or detonate this powder keg, testing the judiciary's role in navigating ideology-fueled governance. For now, Bengaluru's corridors buzz with whispers: in the battle for Bharat's narrative, no route is truly neutral.
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